HIV Associated Reservoirs and Comorbidities Study (HARC)

The HARC Study establishes a biorepository that allows for collaborative investigation of the neuropathogenic mechanisms of HIV and other infectious diseases. Peripheral blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and neuropsychological testing are obtained from participants of diverse profiles: people living with HIV who may be on or off treatment; individuals exposed to other infectious diseases that might impact the nervous system; and uninfected control participants. Medical, mental health, and demographic data are also collected to understand the biological factors uncovered by our studies in the context of broader factors and to link biological and sociodemographic parameters.

In addition to being used for current research questions, HARC Study samples and data are stored for future use. Through the creation of this repository, we facilitate studies which we hope will provide better understanding of HIV and other infectious diseases, allowing us to better evaluate infectious and immunological responses in the nervous system and to potentially identify markers of disease activity, leading to more complete and effective treatments.

• Shelli Farhadian, MD, PhD/Yale University/Single Cell CSF Sequencing
• Brinda Emu, MD/Yale University/Exosome Project
• Lingeng Lu, MD, PhD/Yale University/Exosome Project
• Ya-Chi Ho, MD, PhD/Yale University/Mechanisms of HIV Latency
• Kathryn Miller-Jensen, PhD/Yale University
• Richard Price, MD/University of California, San Francisco/CSF Escape
• John Mellors, MD and Josh Cyktor, PhD/University of Pittsburgh
• Teresa Evering, MD, MS/The Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center & The Rockefeller University
• Ronald Swanstrom, PhD/University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

• R21MH118109 (PI Spudich) Single cell RNAseq of CSF to Dissect CNS Cellular Perturbations in Long-Term Treated HIV
• R21MH110260 (PIs Spudich/Emu) CSF & Blood Exosomal microRNAs, Immune Responses, and HAND in ART Suppressed HIV
• R01NS094067 (PI Price) Compartmentalized CSF Viral Escape and the CNS HIV Reservoir

Jennifer Chiarella