Administrative, Education, and Analytic Support Core

Alcohol consumption is an important modifiable cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor among people living with HIV infection (PLWH).

Given that alcohol use is common among PLWH, and CVD is a leading non-AIDS disease and cause of death among PLWH, addressing alcohol consumption in this population is critically important.

The Microbiome, mETabolites, and Alcohol in HIV to reduce CVD Program Project Grant (PPG) is a multidisciplinary group of investigators with expertise in alcohol, HIV, gut microbiome, biomarker research, nutrition, and randomized controlled trial (RCT) design.

Our overarching hypothesis for this P01 application is that among PLWH, a probiotic can mitigate alcohol associated dysbiosis and lower levels of microbial translocation, inflammation, and improve metabolite profiles (Project 1); and that harmful levels of these metabolites are associated with higher risk of CVD and death events (Project 2).

To test this hypothesis, this PPG will leverage the Veterans Aging Cohort Study, the Uganda Russia Boston Alcohol Network for Alcohol Research Collaboration on HIV/AIDS, the Integrated Metagenomic and Metabolomic Core (IMMC) at the University of Louisville Alcohol Research Center, and the Vanderbilt SCHolars in HIV and Heart, Lung, Blood, and Sleep ReSearch NIH K12 junior faculty training program to accomplish these objectives: (1) To determine if a probiotic tailored for alcohol associated gut dysbiosis mitigates this dysbiosis, microbial translocation, inflammation, harmful metabolites, CVD and mortality risk (Project 1 RCT, Lead Freiberg); (2) To assess the association between alcohol use, CVD and death via three metabolic pathways among PLWH (Project 2 Cohort, Lead So-Armah); (3) To provide metabolomic and biomarker laboratory resources (IMMC, Lead Barve); (4) Administrative leadership and services to support the proposed research (Admin Core, Leads Freiberg and Barve); and (5) Encourage and develop future trainees.

The Administrative (Admin) Core will be responsible for day-to-day management and functioning of the PPG.

The Admin Core goal is to ensure that the scientific and programmatic activities of the PPG are conducted per protocol in a timely fashion, within budget, and with the highest quality.

The Admin Core has these specific aims: (1) To provide administrative oversight of the PPG, including assembling a steering committee, program advisory committee, and data safety monitoring board, and developing the policies and procedures necessary to successfully organize and complete our specific aims and training initiatives; (2) To provide services to PPG investigators and trainees (e.g., study progress reports, compliance assurance, assistance with presentations and publications), and to promote/disseminate the PPG'S work; (3) To provide resources (e.g., data and specimens), biostatistical support, and mentorship to new investigators ; (4) To promote synergy within and across other funded PPGs; (5) To monitor progress and compliance of the PPG's components, implement improvement mechanisms if necessary, and assist investigators with challenges (e.g., recruitment).