Cohort Studies

"I feel like I should give something back to all the folks we've lost. I hope they can find something [within me] they can use to help others."
--Non-Progressor Study Participant

These studies are critical in the development of an HIV vaccine. They are observational, therefore participants will not be given any vaccines or medications.

Multiply Exposed But Uninfected
The goal of this study is to learn more about the immune system of people who have been repeatedly exposed to HIV through sexual intercourse over the last two years and have remained uninfected.

Participants must be:

• HIV Negative
• Have had repeated exposure to HIV within the past 2 years through unprotected sex with known HIV-positive partner(s)
  
  

Controls for an Existing HIV Study
Provide comparison samples to help researchers learn more about the immune system. Low risk HIV-negative gay men and heterosexual women will periodically donate samples of blood, saliva and semen (men) which will be compared to the samples of people who have been repeatedly exposed to HIV over the last two years and have remained uninfected. Women will also donate cells through a procedure much like a pap smear.

Participants must be sexually active in a monogamous relationship (only one partner in the last six months) with some unprotected anal or vaginal sex.

Non-Progressor Study
This study hopes to learn more about the immune system in people who fit into one of the two groups below.

Long-Term Non-Progressors:

Participants must have:

• HIV infection for at least 12 years
• Never been on HIV medications (some exceptions allowed)
• T cell counts never below 500 (any viral load is allowed for this group)
• Never had opportunistic infection

Controllers:

Participants must have:

• HIV infection-duration for at least one year
• T cell counts never below 200
• Never been on HIV medications (some exceptions allowed)
• 3 or more viral loads less than or equal to 2000 copies/mL in the past year. Viral loads must be drawn while NOT on HIV medication

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