Located within the Center for Infectious Diseases (CID) at Boston Medical Center, the Infectious Disease Clinical Research Unit (ID-CRU) serves as a centralized hub for clinical research studies, particularly those involving people living with HIV. Our diverse portfolio includes federally sponsored clinical translational studies, industry-sponsored trials, and investigator-initiated research. With expertise in study design, regulatory compliance, and participant recruitment, the ID-CRU team offers comprehensive services, including:
- IRB applications and regulatory support
- Study design and protocol consultation
- Study initiation and management
- Participant-related activities (e.g., phlebotomy, questionnaires, specimen collection)
- Source documentation and data management
- Specimen processing and storage
We prioritize inclusive research practices, focusing on underserved populations and promoting health equity in alignment with Boston Medical Center's mission. Our team collaborates with healthcare providers to approach eligible individuals during clinic visits, offering opportunities to participate in ongoing trials. We welcome partnerships with investigators to advance research goals and improve representation in clinical studies.
If you are interested in finding out more about the ID-CRU please contact us or our director, Archana Asundi.
Current Active Study Portfolio
A Phase 3b, multicenter, single-arm, open-label study evaluating the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of switching to DTG/3TC single tablet regimen administered once daily from a bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide single tablet regimen in people living with HIV of at least 50 years of age who are virologically suppressed (EYEWITNESS)
Site PI: Archana Asundi, MD
Sponsor: GSK/ViiV Healthcare,
A Phase 3, Randomized, Active-controlled, Double-blind Study to Evaluate a Switch to an Oral Weekly Islatravir/Lenacapavir Regimen in People With HIV-1 Who Are Virologically Suppressed on Bictegravir/Emtricitabine/Tenofovir (B/F/TAF) (ISLEND-1)
Site PI: Archana Asundi, MD
Sponsor: Gilead Sciences Inc, GS-US-563-5925
A Phase 3, Randomized, Open-Label, Active-Controlled Study to Evaluate a Switch to an Oral Weekly Islatravir/Lenacapavir Regimen in People With HIV-1 Who Are Virologically Suppressed on Standard of Care (ISLEND-2)
Site PI: Archana Asundi, MD
Sponsor: Gilead Sciences Inc, GS-US-563-5926
A Phase 2, Randomized, Open-Label Active-Controlled Study Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of an Oral Weekly Regimen of Islatravir in Combination with Lenacapavir in Virologically Suppressed People with HIV
PI: Archana Asundi, MD
Sponsor: Gilead Sciences Inc, GS-US-563-6041
A Prospective and Retrospective Observational Study of Multidrug-Resistant Patient Outcomes with and without Ibalizumab in a Real-World Setting: United States (PROMISE-US)
Site PI: Archana Asundi, MD
Sponsor: Theratechnologies Inc. TH-IBA-CTR-1003
HIV-Endurance Clinic
Launching a geriatrics and HIV-ID integrated clinic to improve care for people aging with HIV: The HIVE program
PI: Archana Asundi, MD
Sponsor: Health Services and Resources Administration, Aging with HIV SPNS Initiative,
H97 HA46074‐01‐00
Featured Publications
Papers
- Efficacy of Tocilizumab in Patients Hospitalized with Covid-19
- Immunological and Neurometabolite Changes Associated With Switch From Efavirenz to an Integrase Inhibitor
- Integrase Inhibitor Use Associated with Weight Gain in Women and Incident Diabetes Mellitus.
- HIV-1 latency reversal agent boosting is not limited by opioid use
- Vδ1 Effector and Vδ2 γδ T-Cell Subsets Shift in Frequency and Are Linked to Plasma Inflammatory Markers During Antiretroviral Therapy-Suppressed HIV Infection.
- Additional papers can be found here: Archana Asundi Bibliography
Posters
Our Team
Archana Asundi, MD
Director of Infectious Disease Clinical Research Unit, Medical Director of BMC-CRU, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Dr. Archana Asundi is a physician-scientist and infectious disease clinician at Boston Medical Center. She specializes in care of people living with HIV through her clinical practice at BMC with a specific focus on HIV and Aging. Her individual research program focuses on topics around HIV, aging and age-related comorbidities. In her role as Director of the Infectious Disease Clinical Research Unit (ID-CRU) at BMC, she also supports and oversees the conduct of a large portfolio of clinical trials and clinical-translational research studies in the Center for Infectious Disease (CID). She is the director of the HIV-endurance (HIVE) clinic funded by a HRSA SPNS grant of which she is the principal investigator.
Nina Lin, MD
Founding Director of Infectious Disease Clinical Research Unit
Dr. Nina Lin is a physician scientist engaged in HIV translational research. During her time at BMC, her research focused the interplay of aging, non-communicable comorbidities such as smoking and opioid use and chronic inflammation on the immune system of people with HIV. She was PI on several HIV therapeutic clinic trials as well as being a co-chair of ACTG A5325 and A5220 which evaluated interventions to improve or alter the clinical course of chronic HIV infection.
Dena Kivett, RN
Clinical Research Nurse, Infectious Disease Clinical Research Unit
Dena Kivett, RN is the Clinical Research Nurse of the ID CRU. Her nursing career began in East Texas. She has over 30 years' experience in Emergency and Trauma units. She has worked in various hospitals throughout the country from California to Massachusetts. She is a Registered Nurse and is certified in advanced cardiac life support and pediatric advanced life support. In 2019 she joined the Infectious Disease Clinical Research Unit at Boston Medical Center working closely with Dr. Nina Lin and Dr. Archana Asundi on a number of clinical research studies relating to comorbidities of HIV/AIDS infection.
Dena is particularly passionate about the recruitment of under-served populations into clinical trials for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.
Samantha Roche
Senior Research Project Manager, Infectious Disease Clinical Research Unit
Samantha joined the ID-CRU team in November 2018 as a Junior RA. Since then she has worked on multiple Investigator Initiated and Sponsored Clinical Trials as part of the CRU leading to her current role. She has a passion for making sure all research conducted in the CRU is done so ethically and with equal respect shown to all participants. Originally from Ireland, she obtained her MPH from University College Dublin.
Yunhan Chen
Research Project Manager, Infectious Disease Clinical Research Unit
Yunhan is a Research Project Manager in the ID-CRU. He is responsible for maintaining regulatory compliance and approval for studies in the CRU and for conducting the Aging study as well as several industry-sponsored studies. He recently completed his MPH at the BU School of Public Health with certificates in epidemiology/biostatistics and pharmaceuticals development. He is currently interested in medication prescribing patterns in people with HIV (PWH) and the role polypharmacy and medication regimen complexity plays in this population.
Athina Schmidt
Research Project Manager, Infectious Disease Clinical Research Unit
Athina Schmidt is the clinic coordinator for the HIV-Endurance (HIVE) Clinic at Boston Medical Center and has been a dedicated member of the Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Unit since 2020. With expertise in implementing research protocols, patient recruitment, and regulatory compliance, she contributes significantly to advancing clinical research in HIV and aging. Her work includes spearheading innovative interventions, such as text-message-based medication reminders, to enhance antiretroviral adherence. She graduated from Dartmouth College in 2019 with a BA in psychology. Athina combines her background in behavioral science with her commitment to improving models of care for people living with HIV.
Laura Mitten, RA
Laura graduated from Clemson University with a B.S. in Biological Sciences in May 2021. Since starting with the CRU in September 2021, she has worked on several studies and currently leads recruitment for Dr. Asundi's Real World InSTI Weight Gain study.
Sergio Romero, RA
Sergio graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a Master of Health Science (MHS) in Infectious Disease Epidemiology in May 2023. Since joining the ID-CRU in December 2023, he has been working on multiple studies related to HIV and aging, as well as industry-sponsored clinical trials. He conducts qualitative interviews that focus on advance care planning and healthcare proxies, barriers and facilitators to dental and mental health services, and exploring how individuals with HIV make decisions about future medical care. Research areas of interest include health and equity among HIV populations and social determinants of health within the realm of infectious disease.