Check out the current issue of URBAN ARCH News, the quarterly newsletter bringing you news on the latest URBAN ARCH and related research.

The BAHR Study

In this edition of the URBAN ARCH Newsletter, we highlight the recently funded Biomarkers for Alcohol/HIV Research (BAHR) Study.

Updates from 2nd Generation URBAN ARCH HIV/Alcohol P01s

                    

International URBAN ARCH Center Updates

Click on the buttons below to see what the International URBAN ARCH Center Cores and Projects have been working on.

Spotlight on… Judy Hahn

In this issue, we interview Judy Hahn, BAHR Principal Investigator and TRAC Study Project Lead, about her background in the field of HIV and alcohol research, and her current work on the BAHR study. 

 

Article Spotlight

Lower Levels of Alcohol Consumption Among People With HIV Initiating ART Associated With Faster CD4 Recovery

Alcohol consumption is associated with increased morbidity and mortality among people with HIV. URBAN ARCH researchers investigated whether alcohol use at initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) was associated with slower CD4 recovery among two cohorts of people with HIV in St Petersburg, Russia. For this retrospective analysis, participants (N=60) were stratified by low, moderate, and high alcohol consumption, determined by PEth (an alcohol biomarker).

After initiating ART, CD4 counts increased by…

  • 13.60 cells/mm3/mo (95% CI: 0.33 to 26.87) among participants with low alcohol consumption;
  • 0.93 cells/mm3/mo (95% CI: -6.18 to 8.04) among participants with moderate consumption;
  • 2.33 cells/mm3/mo (95% CI: -3.44 to 8.09) among participants with high alcohol consumption.

Comments: This study found that participants with lower alcohol consumption had faster CD4 recovery after ART initiation, compared with those with moderate or high consumption. These results support measures to reduce or cease alcohol consumption among people with HIV who are initiating ART.

Reference: McLaughlin A, Lin N, Jiang W, et al. Association of alcohol consumption with CD4 recovery after antiretroviral therapy initiation in St. Petersburg, Russia. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2023;94(3):244–252.

Register Now: 2024 URBAN ARCH Annual Meeting

Mark your calendars! The 2024 URBAN ARCH Annual Meeting will be held on May 3, 2024, with options to attend virtually via Zoom or in-person in Boston. Registration for the meeting is now open! The registration form can be found here, and a preliminary agenda for the meeting can be found here. We look forward to seeing you there!

Photo from the 2022 URBAN ARCH Annual Meeting in Boston.

URBAN ARCH invites poster abstract submissions from trainees and early stage investigators for the 2024 URBAN ARCH Annual Meeting. Abstract submissions should focus on alcohol/HIV research. Research previously presented or submitted to other conferences is welcome. 

Three abstracts will be selected for 10-minute oral presentations, which can take place in-person or via zoom.

If you are interested, please submit your abstracts here by Monday, February 26, 2024. Please reach out to Natalia Gnatienko with any questions. 

Interested in Submitting a K43 Application?

A K43 Emerging Global Leader Award is a 5-year grant to support career development for early-stage investigators in non-US settings. Join us on Thursday, January 9, 2024 from 10-11am ET to hear from Dr. Julian Adong, recent NIMH K43 award recipient, and her mentor, Dr. Jessica Haberer, about this award, experiences with this funding mechanism, and tips for other international trainees hoping to pursue similar paths.

Register here to attend this virtual workshop.

Dr. Julian Adong, Mbarara University of Science and Technology

Dr. Jessica Haberer, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School

New URBAN ARCH Publications

Events and Conferences

    Upcoming abstract submission deadlines: CPDD (December 29, 2023); RSA (January 8, 2024).

    Click here for more events and conferences.

    Happy Holidays from URBAN ARCH!