Meiqing Shi, a professor in the University of Maryland Department of Veterinary Medicine, has received a $3.75 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS), a dangerous brain inflammation linked to anti-retroviral therapy in HIV/AIDS patients, according to an April 21 announcement.
This research is important because IRIS can be fatal for up to 30% of those affected and occurs in an estimated 25 to 30% of HIV patients on anti-retroviral therapy. Understanding how this syndrome develops may help improve treatment options and reduce mortality among these patients.
Shi’s work focuses on how pathogens such as certain fungi cross the blood-brain barrier and infect the brain. His laboratory has developed mouse models that allow for detailed studies of interactions between host immune cells and invading fungal pathogens, as well as how these pathogens are cleared from the brain. In his new project, Shi will use these methods to examine why IRIS occurs when patients with cryptococcal infections start anti-retroviral therapy. As their immune systems recover, there can be a rapid increase in immune cell activity that triggers severe inflammation known as a “cytokine storm.” While the infection itself may not always be deadly, this inflammatory response can result in death for up to one-third of cases.
“Successful completion of this study would gain novel insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms that mediate lethal immune responses during cryptococcal IRIS and identify potential targets for treatment of HIV/AIDS-associated cryptococcal IRIS patients,” Shi said.
The University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) supports research through donations used for faculty recruitment, scholarships, and facility improvements while also receiving funding via the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station according to its official website. AGNR manages several research centers including facilities at Beltsville and Upper Marlboro according to its official website. The college is affiliated with both the University of Maryland and University of Maryland Eastern Shore within Maryland’s land-grant system according to its official website.
AGNR recognizes notable achievements through awards such as Outstanding Alumni Awards, Excellence in Extension Award, Excellence in Instruction Award, and Excellence in Research Award according to its official website. The college also engages communities across Maryland through educational programs benefiting families, farmers, schools, and environmental initiatives according to its official website.
