# The Manhattan HIV Brain Bank

> **NIH NIH U24** · ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI · 2020 · $1,300,583

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The Manhattan HIV Brain Bank (MHBB), member of the National NeuroAIDS Tissue Consortium (NNTC), is a
research resource committed to providing scientists with densely annotated, high quality biospecimens in
support of neuroAIDS and AIDS research. Located in New York City, it conducts a longitudinal, observational
neurologic, neuropsychologic, and psychiatric study with individuals who agree to be organ donors upon
demise. While harmonizing its assessments and activities with other members of the NNTC, MHBB retains
important and unique characteristics. MHBB is a predominantly minority cohort with excellent representation of
underserved populations, including African Americans and Latinos of Caribbean origin; approximately half of
MHBB participants are women; and the population overall displays a high frequency of medical and
psychosocial co-morbidities that contribute to nervous system dysfunction. The cohort also has excellent
representation of individuals with long-term viral suppression, suited to the support of research into viral
reservoirs. In providing its biospecimen and data resources, MHBB implements standard NNTC protocols to
synchronize the type and quality of materials provided to researchers with other NNTC clinical sites. However,
MHBB has also created a variety of customized resources to better serve its clients, inclusive of providing
digital slides and viewing software to enhance case selection and analysis; obtaining fresh blood samples from
the cohort for functional assays, which when coupled with MHBB's extensive nervous system characterization,
provide a cost efficient mechanism to accomplish translational neuroAIDS research; and performing
specialized tissue dissections to create unique collections like the Brain Arterial Remodeling Study. MHBB is
committed to fostering young scientists embarking on careers in neuroAIDS research, with past support of an
R25 mechanism, and plans to promote F- and K- type awards utilizing its resources in the next funding period.
MHBB maintains high quality standards for the information it collects, with mature, databank-assisted protocols
for quality assurance on the local level, use of monthly data reports and annual audits provided by the NNTC
coordinating center, and participation in all NNTC subcommittees to assure compliance with standardized
NNTC assessments. With a relatively small and dedicated staff, MHBB is able to rapidly adapt to NNTC
initiatives, as its organizational structure and standard operating procedures result in frequent communication
between all levels and domains of expertise. In addition, MHBB utilizes the talents and expanded expertise of
its scientific advisor and multiple collaborators, who provide a robust translational science environment to
enhance the study's operations.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9872208
- **Project number:** 5U24MH100931-08
- **Recipient organization:** ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI
- **Principal Investigator:** Susan Morgello
- **Activity code:** U24 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $1,300,583
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2013-05-01 → 2023-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9872208

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9872208, The Manhattan HIV Brain Bank (5U24MH100931-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9872208. Licensed CC0.

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