About

The Injury Biomechanics Research Center (IBRC) at The Ohio State University is a multi-disciplinary research center dedicated to investigating the relationships between human injury and physical mechanical properties. The IBRC has completed research in the field of automobile safety since 2004 and brings together an interdisciplinary team of engineers, anatomists, anthropologists, physicians, computer modelers, and technicians. The center focuses on mechanisms of injury and injury thresholds of the human body, testing biomechanical loading and impact scenarios with anthropomorphic test devices, post-mortem human subjects, and research volunteers. The IBRC collaborates with several Ohio State departments and industry partners to offer diverse testing facilities. Its research encompasses all aspects of human injury, including skeletal and soft tissue response under loading, advanced medical imaging and histological analysis of human bone, development of biofidelic response corridors for anthropomorphic test device design, testing and validation of ATDs and finite element human body models, pediatric biomechanics, and child restraint system testing and usability for car crash safety. The center also launched the Forensic Anthropology Skeletal Trauma (FAST) database, which includes data from experimental tests on human skeletal elements with known loading mechanisms, providing valuable resources for trauma interpretation. The IBRC offers research opportunities for students across various majors, fostering collaborative and impactful research experiences.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Internal medicine
• Immunology
• Gastroenterology
• Biology
• Virology
• Gerontology
• Cardiology
• Pathology

Selected publications

• Peripheral Arterial Disease in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

  Current Atherosclerosis Reports · 2026-04-24

  articleOpen access

  Human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) is a chronic inflammatory and pro-atherosclerotic condition although the contribution of HIV to the development of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is unclear. PAD is more prevalent and extensive in sub-Saharan African individuals. A total of 38 studies reporting results from a median of 298 people living with HIV (PLWH) were included. The majority of studies (24) reported an association between HIV infection and PAD. Study design was heterogeneous. Traditional cardiovascular (tobacco smoking, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia and hypertension) and HIV-associated (CD4 + T cell count, advanced HIV infection, viral load and antiretroviral therapy) risk factors were inconsistently reported. The most commonly reported risk factors were advanced age (odds ratio 1.09–4.66), HIV infection (odds ratio 1.22–4.92) and tobacco smoking (odds ratio range 1.08–5.96). Only 9 studies were conducted in sub-Saharan Africa. HIV infection is a risk factor for PAD although heterogeneous study design makes comparison of risk factors difficult. Further studies are required to understand the pathogenesis of PAD in PLWH, to identify biomarkers which may have diagnostic or prognostic significance in this group of patients.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The vaginal microbiome of pregnant people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy in the Democratic Republic of Congo: a pilot study and global meta-analysis

  mSphere · 2026-01-26

  articleOpen access

  ABSTRACT Recent studies reveal that a suboptimal vaginal microbiome (VMB), including the enrichment of anaerobic bacteria associated with multiple female genital disorders, is linked to adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes in pregnant people. Problematically, however, the majority of the available data, to date, is biased toward highly developed, Global North countries, leaving underrepresented populations like the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) poorly characterized. Here, we investigate the VMB from a cohort of 82 pregnant people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) from the DRC. Specifically, we explore the associations between the VMB via 16S rRNA gene sequencing and maternal peripheral immune factors. Additionally, we compare the VMB of pregnant PLWH-ART from DRC with publicly available VMB data (5 studies, 1861 samples) in a meta-analysis to elucidate the impact of HIV on the VMB. Combined, these analyses revealed the differences in community structure and predicted function of the microbiota between pregnant PLWH-ART and pregnant people without HIV (PWoH). Taxonomically, the VMB of DRC PLWH-ART were enriched for Lactobacillus iners- dominated VMBs (53%) or a diverse, polymicrobial VMB, that is, bacterial vaginosis (BV) (43%). Functional predictions made from these taxa suggested that protein-coupled receptors, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon degradation pathways were differentially abundant between the communities. Correlation with host plasma immune factors revealed putative links between some VMB metrics (e.g., alpha diversity and species abundance) that have been linked to adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. IMPORTANCE Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, where it has been linked to adverse birth outcomes. Suboptimal vaginal microbiomes (VMBs) have shown similar links. This pilot study fills critical gaps in understanding how HIV interacts with the pregnant VMB in populations underrepresented in microbiome research, like the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). We identified maternal systemic immune factors associated with suboptimal VMBs that have been linked to poor birth outcomes. In a global meta-analysis, we found significant taxonomic and functional differences in the VMBs between pregnant people living with and without HIV, revealing potential biomarkers that increase the risk of adverse birth outcomes. These findings provide crucial insights into VMB features that may influence pregnancy health in PLWH-ART, guiding future research and tailored interventions to support safer pregnancies in the DRC and similar populations. This study is registered with NCT03048669 .

  PublisherDOI

• Multi-omics links microbial dysbiosis, systemic inflammation and metabolomic disruptions to SNAE risk in treated HIV

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2026-04-13

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Serious non-AIDS events (SNAEs), including non-AIDS malignancies, cardiovascular disease, and hepatic complications, remain major causes of mortality in treated HIV infection. These outcomes are driven by persistent immune activation, systemic inflammation, and metabolic dysfunction despite effective viral suppression with antiretroviral therapy (ART). To investigate mechanisms underlying SNAE pathogenesis, we performed a cross-site multi-omic analysis integrating plasma proteins, plasma metabolites, and mucosal microbiomes (ileum and rectum) in 82 ART-treated people with HIV (PWH) and 10 people without HIV (PWoH) from the United States and Mexico. Geography was the dominant source of variation, particularly across lipid classes. However, individuals at high risk for SNAEs, defined by low CD4 T cell counts and low CD4/CD8 ratios, shared a consistent signature of systemic inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and microbial dysbiosis including elevated plasma IL-6, ω-oxidation products (adipic and suberic acids), and depletion of short-chain fatty acid–producing commensals in the gut mucosa, including Akkermansia muciniphila , Bacteroides uniformis , and Ruminococcus . Notably, A. muciniphila abundance correlated with lower IL-6 levels, fewer HIV RNA-producing cells in lymph nodes, and higher CD4/CD8 ratios. Together, these findings identify a shared inflammatory and metabolic phenotype in PWH and implicate A. muciniphila as a potential microbiome-based target to mitigate immune activation and SNAE risk in treated HIV.

  PublisherDOI

• Ultra-Processed Food Intake Is Not Associated with Systemic Inflammation in People with HIV

  Nutrients · 2026-04-11

  articleOpen access

  Background/Objectives: People with HIV (PWH) remain at high risk for cardiovascular and metabolic complications despite effective antiretroviral therapy (ART). Diet quality is an important modifiable factor that may influence these complications. Diets high in ultra-processed foods (UPF) have been linked to adverse metabolic and inflammatory profiles in the general population, but their impact on PWH remains poorly understood. The NOVA 4 classification categorizes foods by degree of processing, from unprocessed/minimally processed (NOVA 1) to UPF (NOVA 4). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of adults with virologically suppressed HIV on stable ART. Assessments included dietary intake consisting of 24 h recalls analyzed with Nutrition Data System for Research software (NDSR) and classified into NOVA categories by a registered dietitian and the following characteristics: body composition (total and regional fat by DEXA and CT scan abdomen), cardiometabolic variables (glucose, HbA1C, HOMA-IR, lipids, blood pressure), and biomarkers of inflammation, immune activation, and gut integrity quantified by ELISA. Patients were stratified into NOVA 4 groups based on the median and quartile proportions of total energy intake from NOVA 4 foods. Associations between dietary NOVA and outcomes were analyzed using generalized additive models (GAMs) adjusted for age, sex, race, and CD4 count. Results: Among 222 PWH (mean age 45.4 ± 14.2 years; 31% female; 66% non-white; BMI 30.61 ± 7.91 kg/m2), median NOVA 4 intake was 45.6% of total energy intake. Participants with higher vs. lower NOVA 4 intake showed differences in diet quality, but in GAMs, higher NOVA 4 intake was not associated with higher levels of inflammatory, cardiometabolic, gut integrity, and body composition variables. Conclusions: In PWH, UPF consumption was high but not associated with markers of cardiometabolic health, systemic inflammation, or gut integrity. This may reflect the multifactorial nature of the heightened inflammation in PWH, potentially obscuring the effect of diet.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Vascular and inflammatory biomarkers linked to neurocognition in Ugandan youth with perinatal HIV on dolutegravir

  International Journal of Infectious Diseases · 2026-04-24

  articleOpen access

  OBJECTIVES: To examine associations of immune biomarkers with neurocognition among Ugandan Youth living with Perinatally acquired HIV (YPHIV) virally suppressed on dolutegravir (DTG) versus Youth Without HIV (YWoH). METHODS: In this cross-sectional study of 101 age- and sex-matched youth in Kampala, Uganda (49 YPHIV, 52 YWoH), neurocognition was assessed using NeuroScreen. Biomarkers were measured using LEGENDplex™ and ELISA. Group differences were assessed using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Associations were evaluated using Spearman correlations and multivariable linear regression. RESULTS: Median age was 16.9 years [IQR 15.1-17.1]. YPHIV performed worse across all neurocognitive domains (P ≤ 0.035). IFAB, MIP-3α, and RANTES were higher among YPHIV (P ≤ 0.024). In adjusted YPHIV models, myeloperoxidase was associated with worse processing speed (β = -3.24, 95% CI = -4.89, -1.58), learning and memory (β = -3.53, 95% CI = -6.48, -0.59), and global z-scores (β = -1.64, 95% CI = -2.78, -0.51); soluble CD14 (sCD14) with worse processing speed (β = -0.78, 95% CI = -1.55, -0.01); β-d-Glucan (BDG) with worse learning and memory (β = -0.35, 95% CI = -0.68, -0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Ugandan YPHIV demonstrated worse neurocognitive performance. Biomarkers linked to HIV-related mortality and cardiovascular disease (MPO, sCD14, BDG) were associated with poorer performance.

  PublisherDOI

• P-490. Association of Vascular and Inflammatory Markers with Neurocognitive Test Performance among Ugandan Youth with Perinatally Acquired HIV on Dolutegravir

  Open Forum Infectious Diseases · 2026-01-01

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Background The association between neuroinflammation and neurocognition in youth with perinatally acquired HIV (YPHIV) has been documented. However, mechanisms underlying neurocognition in YPHIV on contemporary ART (cART) in Sub-Saharan Africa remain unclear. This study examined associations of vascular, inflammatory, and gut markers with neurocognition in YPHIV virally suppressed on dolutegravir vs. youth without HIV (YWoH). Methods A cross-sectional study of 101 youth in Kampala, Uganda was conducted (52 YWoH and 49 YPHIV). Neurocognition was measured with NeuroScreen (NS), a tablet-based test battery adapted for Uganda. YWoH based individual test z-scores and a global z-score were calculated. Plasma markers of inflammation, chemokines, gut microbial translocation, and vascular markers were measured using ELISA and Legendplex. Wilcoxon rank sum test compared neurocognitive measures. Spearman correlations assessed associations of neurocognition with biomarkers. General linear regression models assessed the association between neurocognition and biomarkers after adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, and HIV factors. Results The median [IQR] age was 16.90 years [15.11, 17.08] and 42% were females (Table 1). Compared with YWoH, YPHIV participants performed worse in all neurocognitive domains and had lower global z-scores (p ≤ 0.038, Figure 1). Gut integrity marker IFAB and chemokines MIP3 and RANTES were greater in YPHIV compared to YWoH (p ≤ 0.024). After adjustment, the vascular marker myeloperoxidase (MPO) was associated with worse processing speed, learning/memory, and global z-scores in YPHIV, while MPO was only associated with worse attention/concentration in YWoH. Among YPHIV only, monocyte activation marker sCD14 and fungal translocation marker BDG were associated with worse processing speed and learning/memory, respectively (Table 2). Conclusion Despite viral suppression on cART regimens, Ugandan YPHIV performed poorly on neurocognitive tests compared to YWoH. Immune markers associated with mortality and cardiovascular disease in HIV, such as MPO, sCD14 and BDG, were associated with worse neurocognitive performance in Ugandan youth with HIV, suggesting vascular inflammation and gut barrier dysfunction processes that persist with cART therapy. Disclosures Caroline Carlson, BA, Elekta Foundation: Rayos Contra Cancer employee salary supported by the Elekta Foundation to build educational programs Nicholas Funderburg, PhD, Gilead: Grant/Research Support

  PublisherDOI

• Comparison of Immune Activation and Gut Barrier Dysfunction Between Long COVID and HIV Infection

  The Journal of Infectious Diseases · 2026-03-31

  article

  BACKGROUND: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection is characterized by persistent immune dysregulation and inflammation, with emerging evidence suggesting overlapping pathophysiological mechanisms with Long COVID. Biomarkers of systemic inflammation and gut integrity may provide insight into shared and distinct pathways underlying these conditions. The status of the anti-inflammatory vitamin K may play a role in sustained inflammation in these conditions. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled participants belonging to one of 3 groups: individuals with Long COVID (Long COVID; n=108) without HIV, participants with HIV (PWH), virologically suppressed with no previous COVID-19 infection (HIV+; n=256), and controls without Long COVID or HIV (controls; n=193). Plasma samples were analyzed for inflammatory, gut integrity biomarkers, and dephosphorylated-uncarboxylated Matrix Gla Protein (dp-ucMGP) as an established marker of vitamin K status. Associations were assessed using multivariable linear and logistic regression models adjusted for demographic, metabolic, and lifestyle covariates. RESULTS: 557 participants were included. Long COVID was independently associated with elevated oxLDL (β=0.39 vs. HIV, β=0.54 vs. controls; P<0.001 for both). PWH had higher odds of worse vitamin K status [OR: 1.5; 95% CIs (1.02-2.2), P=0.04]. Independent of Long COVID or HIV status, worse vitamin K status was strongly associated with higher levels of inflammatory markers. CONCLUSION: Long COVID and HIV share chronic immune dysregulation features but demonstrate distinct inflammatory profiles. Those findings highlight the importance of large longitudinal studies to delineate shared versus unique inflammatory pathways to guide potential Long COVID therapeutic strategies.

  PublisherDOI

• Zinc Supplementation, Inflammation, and Gut Integrity Markers in HIV Infection: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial

  Nutrients · 2025-05-14 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Background: Low levels of zinc are prevalent in patients living with HIV and are associated with higher morbidity. Zinc has major immunomodulatory effects. This study aimed to assess the effect of zinc supplementation on inflammatory and gut integrity markers and on zinc levels among HIV patients with zinc deficiency. Methods: This was a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial assessing the efficacy and safety of zinc supplementation on inflammation and gut markers in people with HIV (PWH) ≥ 18 years old, on stable antiretroviral therapy (ART) with undetectable HIV-1 viral load, and with zinc levels of ≤0.75 mg/L. Participants were randomized 2:1 to zinc gluconate tablets at a dose of 90 mg of elemental zinc or a matching placebo daily for 24 weeks. At baseline and at week 24, we measured plasma levels of zinc and markers of inflammation and gut barrier integrity. Results: Among the 95 participants enrolled in this study, 74% were male, and 65% were non-white, with a median CD4 count of 722 cells/μL. The primary analysis showed an increase in zinc levels in the active group. A decrease in the monocyte activation marker soluble CD14 was observed in the treatment group at −56.31 ng/mL (−263.24; 134.19), compared to an increase in the placebo group of 101.71 ng/mL (−90.50; 243.20); p = 0.021. The stratified analysis showed that the group with the lowest zinc levels at baseline had the greatest improvements in soluble CD14 levels during zinc supplementation. No changes were seen in other inflammation markers or gut integrity markers. Conclusions: This is the most comprehensive study on the effect of zinc supplementation in PWH on inflammatory and gut integrity markers. Decreases were seen in the monocyte activation marker sCD14. In the contemporary HIV era with potent effective therapies, suppressed viremia, and high CD4 cells, zinc supplementation does not offer consistent benefits on inflammation.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The cervicovaginal microbiome of pregnant people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy in the Democratic Republic of Congo: A Pilot Study and Global Meta-analysis

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2025-08-18

  preprintOpen access

  Abstract Recent studies are revealing that a suboptimal cervicovaginal microbiome (CVMB), including enrichment of anaerobic bacteria associated with multiple female genital disorders, and adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes in pregnant people. Problematically, however, the majority of the available data to date are biased towards highly developed, Global North countries, leaving underrepresented populations like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) poorly characterised. Here, we investigate the CVMB from a cohort of 82 pregnant people living with HIV (PLWH) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) from the DRC. Specifically, we explore the associations between the CVMB via 16S rRNA gene sequencing and maternal peripheral immune factors. Additionally, we compare the CVMB of PLWH-ART from DRC to publicly available CVMB data (5 studies, 1861 samples) in a meta-analysis to elucidate the impact of HIV on the CVMB. Combined, these analyses revealed differences in community structure and predicted function of the microbiota between PLWH-ART and pregnant people without HIV (PWoH). Taxonomically, the CVMB of DRC PLWH-ART were enriched for Lactobacillus iners- dominated CVMBs (53%) or a diverse, polymicrobial CVMB, i.e., bacterial vaginosis (BV) (43%). Functional predictions made from these taxa suggested that protein-coupled receptors, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon degradation pathways were differentially abundant between communities. Correlation with host plasma immune factors revealed putative links between some CVMB metrics (e.g., alpha diversity and species abundance) that have been linked to adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. Importance HIV remains prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, where it has been linked to adverse birth outcomes. . Suboptimal CVMBs have shown similar links. This pilot study fills critical gaps in understanding how HIV interacts with the pregnant CVMB in populations underrepresented in microbiome research, like the Democratic Republic of Congo. We identified maternal systemic immune factors associated with suboptimal CVMBs that have been linked to poor birth outcomes. In a global meta-analysis, we found significant taxonomic and functional difference in the CVMBs between pregnant people living with and without HIV, revealing potential biomarkers that for increased risks for adverse birth outcomes. These findings provide crucial insights into CVMB features that may influence pregnancy health in pregnant people living with HIV, guiding future research and tailored interventions to support safer pregnancies in the DRC and similar populations.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Regional and Age-Related Differences in Correlates of Biomass-Associated Air Pollution Exposure and Subjective Assessments of Indoor Air Quality in Uganda

  American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine · 2025-05-01

  article

  Abstract Rationale: Air pollution causes over 8 million deaths annually, predominantly in resource-limited settings. Household air pollution (HAP) is a leading pollutant source in these regions, and HAP-associated mortality in sub-Saharan Africa is among the highest worldwide. How correlates of HAP exposure and the built environment differ by region and by age is unknown. Methods: We combined demographic, medical history, and HAP exposure correlates from the Uganda Non-communicable Diseases and Aging Cohort (UGANDAC) and the Role of Trained Immunity and Mitochondrial Dysfunction on INnate Immunity in Children and Adolescents aGing with PHIV (TIMING-PHIV) cohort. UGANDAC enrolled adults in rural Mbarara and TIMING-PHIV enrolled adolescents in urban Kampala. We compared data by site, age, gender, and HIV serostatus using Wilcoxon rank sum, chi-squared, and Fisher's exact tests. Results: In total, 389 participants (288 UGANDAC, 101 TIMING-PHIV) completed questionnaires. Both cohorts were nearly evenly split by HIV serostatus and gender, half of each cohort was economically insecure (48% UGANDAC, 48% TIMING-PHIV), and about half of each cohort completed primary school (44% UGANDAC, 59% TIMING-PHIV, p=0.02). Smoking was uncommon: no TIMING-PHIV participants had ever smoked and 90% of UGANDAC participants were former or never smokers. Most UGANDAC participants (65%) worked as subsistence farmers, while most TIMING-PHIV participants (50%) were traders or sold goods. Respiratory symptoms were reported by 13% of study participants, more commonly among TIMING-PHIV (22%) than UGANDAC (10%) participants (p=0.003), driven primarily by differences in cough prevalence. Regarding HAP exposure and correlates, more urban (TIMING-PHIV) than rural (UGANDAC) participants described their indoor air quality as very good or excellent (80% vs 54%, respectively, p&amp;lt;0.001). Rural (UGANDAC) participants cooked with firewood (83%) inside a separate structure (90%) with kerosene lamps for home lighting (41%), whereas urban (TIMING-PHIV) participants cooked with charcoal (74%) in a separate structure or outside (86%) with electricity for home lighting (80%). Most participants in both cohorts burned trash near their homes (62% UGANDAC, 56% TIMING-PHIV, p=0.34), though urban (TIMING-PHIV) participants burned trash near their homes more frequently than rural (UGANDAC) participants (p&amp;lt;0.001). Conclusion: Proxies of HAP exposure varied significantly by urbanicity and age. Further research is needed to determine whether self-reported air quality assessments correlate with objective measures of exposure, particularly given nearly universal exposure to biomass smoke in both cohorts. Next steps include correlating subjective assessments of air quality with objective measures of personal air pollution exposure to inform future interventions designed to reduce pollution-associated health effects.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Tissue factor expression in HIV disease - Implications for cardiovascular risk

  NIH · $747k · 2014–2017

• NIH Grant K99HL108743

  NIH · $178k · 2014

• Cellular mediators of vascular inflammation in treated HIV-infection

  NIH · $3.2M · 2016–2021

• NIH Grant R56HL126563

  NIH · $810k · 2016

Frequent coauthors

• Michael M. Lederman

  Case Western Reserve University

  293 shared

• Grace A. McComsey

  Case Western Reserve University

  225 shared

• Scott F. Sieg

  University Hospitals of Cleveland

  221 shared

• Joseph C. Mudd

  Tulane University

  188 shared

• Benigno Rodríguez

  139 shared

• David A. Zidar

  Case Western Reserve University

  115 shared

• Michael L. Freeman

  Case Western Reserve University

  108 shared

• Carey L. Shive

  University School

  107 shared

Labs

• Injury Biomechanics Research CenterPI