There are 1.1 million people living with HIV in the U.S. With $14 million in funding from the National Institute of Health, the MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study at the University of Miami aims to understand the differences between men and women affected with HIV.
A national multicenter research effort, the Miami center’s seven-year project is led by principal investigators Dr. Margaret Fischl, MD, Dr. Deborah Jones Weiss, PhD, MD, and Dr. Maria Alcaide, MD. The study will follow 130 women, including 122 women who were followed under the Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS), and 130 men with or at risk of HIV infection to understand the impact of chronic health conditions on those with HIV.
Dr. Alcaide, MD
Dr. Alcaide, MD, is an infectious diseases specialist with clinical and research expertise in HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and other infectious diseases. She is the PI and Co-Investigator for multiple HIV studies across the U.S., South Africa, Zambia, and Argentina and is the Director of the Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) Clinical Core at the University of Miami.
Dr. Fischl, MD
Dr. Fischl, MD, has been involved in HIV research for over 30 years, and helped design the first antiretroviral agents approved for HIV treatment. She is the PI and Co-PI for multiple NIAID studies with expertise in large multidisciplinary translational HIV research.
Dr. Jones, PhD
Dr. Jones, PhD, is a clinical health psychologist well-recognized for work in HIV treatment adherence, HIV in pregnancy, and reduction of sexual risk. She is the PI and Co-PI for grant-awarded studies within the U.S., Zambia, South Africa, Argentina, and India.
Dr. Martinez, MD
Dr. Claudia Martinez is a Professor of Clinical Medicine, Interventional Cardiologist in the Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine. She is a physician-scientist, and the PI of several ongoing NIH studies examining cardiovascular disease in a diverse group of at-risk patients. Dr. Martinez has established a strong network of collaboration locally at UM and nationally through her active role in large national clinical studies. She has been an active member of the leadership team of the Miami MWCCS and is leading the cardiovascular science in this large cohort. She is also the Miami Co-PI in the Hispanics Community Health Study. She is the recipient of the prestigious NIH/DP2 Award for examining the intersection of cannabis, HIV, and cardiovascular risk. In 2023, she received the Award of the "Researcher of the year " by the Cardiovascular Division of the University of Miami and also the "Trailblazer" Award by Women in Academic Medicine. In addition, she is in the Miami leadership of large national studies and is the Director and Chair of several mentoring committees including the Miami CFAR Developmental Core and the Investigator Developmental Award Advisory Committee of the MWCCS. Her focus is on inflammation and heart disease prevention.
About Our Work
As HIV/AIDS treatments progress, people living with HIV are more likely to develop chronic disease than AIDS-related diseases. The MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study is a collaborative research effort that aims to understand and reduce the impact of chronic health conditions—including heart, lung, blood, and sleep (HLBS) disorders—that affect people living with HIV.
By broadening the research into HIV and HIV-related health conditions, the NIH hopes to foster innovative research and new life-saving discoveries.
Get Involved
Interested in learning more about the Miami MACS-WIHS or how you can join our study? Give us a call if you’re between the ages of 35-70 living with or at risk of HIV.
For all other inquiries, contact:
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