Dr. Alison Morris was awarded an R01 from the NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, AND BLOOD INSTITUTE
Project title: Investigating lung aging in people with HIV
Although there has been significant progress in the treatment of HIV, people with HIV remain at increased risk of chronic lung diseases and have greater respiratory symptoms and worse physical function. Accelerated aging may cause abnormal inflammation and lung damage in people with HIV, but we have limited knowledge of the pathways that are important. This grant will enroll a cohort of people with and without HIV over the age of 60. We will test lung function and functional status, then examine the relationship of lung function to abnormal inflammation. We will also determine the roles that CMV co-infection or the presence of mutated HIV play in stimulating detrimental inflammation. With this study, we hope to find novel approaches to treat lung disease in people with HIV.