New R21 Awarded to DC CFAR Investigator, Mimi Ghosh, PhD


March 31, 2017

Photo of Mimi Ghosh

DC CFAR investigator, Mimi Ghosh, PhD, has recently been awarded an R21 from the National Institutes of Health entitled, "Effects of continued Progestin-based contraceptive usage in the adolescent genital tract: implications for HIV acquisition".

The grant funds a study investigating effects of continued Progestin-based contraceptive usage in the adolescent girls, a population disproportionately affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.  Progestin-based contraceptive DMPA have been found to be associated with enhanced HIV acquisition/transmission in adult women. However, effects in adolescents have not been evaluated. Existing data indicates adolescent genital immune microenvironment to be distinct and characterized by high baseline inflammation and presence of cervical ectopy which might be conducive to enhanced HIV susceptibility. It is currently unknown whether continued usage of progestin-based contraceptives can further enhance HIV susceptibility in this population. The goal is to determine whether the use of particular contraceptives can alter the immune system of the genital tract in a manner that can potentially increase risk of HIV acquisition.