Studies
The iCARUS Research Portfolio
SHE CARES is a North Carolina-based intervention created by women, for women who use stimulants, focused on reducing likelihood of HIV exposure and supporting emotional and physical well-being. SHE CARES is delivered by a Certified Peer Support Specialist and combines two proven approaches, Contingency Management and Positive Affect. SHE CARES is currently in its pilot stage. To follow the progress of SHE CARES, visit the study website.
CURRENT STUDIES
MATTER is a randomized controlled trial examining whether evidence-informed psychobehavioral intervention mitigates the negative behavioral impact of internalized stigmas and shame on viral suppression among people living with HIV and substance use disorders (SUDs).
TRIDENT is a randomized controlled trial examining whether and how depression treatment modifies the gut-brain axis in people with HIV.
The reSTART study is testing the effectiveness of reSTART, which integrates a novel POC
urine adherence test for optimizing viral suppression and an mHealth application to reduce stimulant use
AMETHST is a national cohort of HIV-negative sexual minority men examining whether methamphetamine use alters rectal immune function. It is a randomized controlled trial aimed at increasing the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis.
NeuroARTEMIS is a randomized controlled trial that is assessing an evidence-based positive affect intervention (ARTEMIS) as a mechanistic probe to elucidate the neural and immunologic substrates linking psychosocial stress to substance use and depression in PWH.
ARCHES is a national cohort study to identify the multi-level determinants that modify the associations of stimulant use with viral suppression and inflammation among sexual minority men with HIV.
ARES is a 6-month, prospective cohort study assessing whether the use of methamphetamine triggers activation of the viral reservoir and may correlate with an increase in HIV clinical disease markers.
The START study was a randomized controlled trial that tested whether an app to optimize HIV treatment as prevention in sexual minority men living with HIV who use stimulants.
PrEP-to-Bay was a pilot randomized controlled trial testing a motivational interviewing intervention to increase PrEP adherence in young sexual minority men with syndemic comorbidities.
PAST STUDIES
The MyTPill study used a counterbalanced design to determine the differential validity of two electronic adherence monitoring strategies in people with HIV who use opioids or stimulants.
TITAN is a randomized controlled trial testing novel, trauma-informed care approaches for Cambodian people with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
The CRUSH study aimed to understand how COVID, HIV, and methamphetamine use impact sexual minority men.
PRISM 2.0 was a pilot sequential multiple assignment randomized controlled trial testing motivational enhancement interventions to increase PrEP use in sexual minority men who use stimulants.
PRISM 1.0 was a biobehavioral study conducted in the STI clinic setting to examine correlates of rectal immune function and the rectal microbiome.
PARTI was a randomized controlled trial that tested a positive affect intervention to increase PrEP adherence among sexual minority men who use stimulants.
ARTEMIS was a randomized controlled trial that demonstrated a positive affect intervention delivered during CM for stimulant abstinence achieved durable viral suppression in sexual minority men with HIV who use methamphetamine.