Grant: Op Gr: Innovative Biomedical and Clinical HIV/AIDS Research - New Investigators

Young women are highly vulnerable to HIV infection, particularly in endemic areas, with young adults making up 30-40% of new HIV infections globally. However, there is very little understanding of why there are high rates of HIV susceptibility in young women. Our research of young women in South Africa have determined that vaginal inflammation signatures associated with vaginal bacteria may be a driving feature behind increased HIV acquisition in this group. We will utilize state-of the art proteomic, microbiome, immunological and in vivo imaging techniques in animal models to understand how these signatures and bacteria contribute to HIV acquisition in the female genital tract. These studies will be a critical advance in understanding how these processes increase HIV susceptibility in women to HIV infection, and provide critical information to design better interventions and vaccines.