Boston University · Microbiology & ImmunologyThe NeuroInflammation Project
Suryaram Gummuluru · Boston, Massachusetts
Research Focus
Dr. Gummuluru's lab focuses on understanding how infections like HIV and substances like opioids lead to increased inflammation in the brain, which can result in cognitive problems for patients. By studying specialized brain immune cells known as microglia, the lab seeks to identify the molecular mechanisms that trigger inflammation when these two factors are present together. This research aims to inform new therapies that can help manage cognitive impairments in individuals with both HIV and opioid use disorders.
HIVneuroinflammationopioid use disordermicrogliainflammasome activationneurocognitive disorderscellular signalingiPSC-derived models
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate the effects of HIV on inflammasome activation in human microglia.
AIM 02Determine how opioid exposure affects HIV icRNA expression in microglia.
AIM 03Identify microglia-intrinsic signaling pathways activated by concomitant HIV and opioid exposure.
AIM 04Explore the role of NLRP1 inflammasome in neuroinflammation related to substance use and HIV infection.
AIM 05Inform therapeutic strategies to mitigate neurocognitive disorders in patients with HIV and opioid use disorder.
Skills the Lab Values
iPSC culturemicroglial cell cultureCRISPR/Cas technologycytokine assaysmolecular cloningRNA extractionWestern blottingflow cytometrydata analysis
Output against the department
Publications112bottom 41% of dept.284th of 486
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations4.0kbottom 30% of dept.339th of 486
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.