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Press Releases 2025

The Campbell Foundation Announces $50,000 in Annual
Holiday Hug Grants to Support HIV/AIDS Services in Broward County

Fort Lauderdale, FL — Dec. 11, 2025 —The Campbell Foundation has awarded $50,000 in “Holiday Hug” grants to seven Broward County HIV/AIDS service organizations — Broward House, Care Resource, Comprehensive Care Center/Broward Health, Latinos Salud, Poverello, Pride Center at Equality Park, and Sunserve — directing all year‑end funding to groups providing essential testing, prevention, counseling, food assistance, and outreach. Several awards will be doubled through matching funds from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, amplifying support for frontline providers. With Broward County facing some of Florida’s highest new HIV diagnoses and nationwide funding cuts straining services, the Foundation says this targeted investment will deliver immediate, local impact. As it marks its 30th anniversary, the Foundation highlights its long-standing commitment to innovative HIV/AIDS research and more than $12.5 million

New HIV Research Could UnlockPath to a Functional Cure

Fort Lauderdale, FL – Nov. 17, 2025 -- The Campbell Foundation has awarded $61,426 to Vrije Universiteit Brussels for a groundbreaking HIV study led by Prof. Dr. Joeri Aerts and the NAVI Research Group. The project aims to identify new HIV markers recognized by NK cells, determine whether vaccinated individuals develop memory NK cells, and test whether these cells can eliminate the hidden HIV reservoir. Aerts said the Foundation’s support is essential to completing these goals and generating proof‑of‑concept data for future cure‑focused research. As the first study to examine both direct and antibody‑driven NK cell responses to HIV, the work could lead to vaccines or therapies that allow people to control HIV without daily medication and may also inform treatments for other chronic viral infections. Campbell Foundation Executive Director Ken Rapkin highlighted the research’s potential to reduce lifelong treatment burdens and improve public health.

Campbell Foundation Awards $100K Grant for CAR-T Cell Therapy Research 

Fort Lauderdale, FL -- August 18, 2025 -- The Campbell Foundation awarded $100,000 to UCLA’s Dr. Wenli Mu to advance HIV‑cure research by improving the durability and metabolic health of CAR‑T cells. The project tests Urolithin A, a compound that supports mitochondrial function, to help engineered immune cells persist longer and better control HIV in humanized mouse models.

Foundation leaders praised the proposal as strong and promising, noting it will generate key preliminary data. Dr. Mu, an early‑career researcher with six first‑author papers and major roles in NIH and CIRM HIV‑cure initiatives, continues to push forward stem‑cell‑based immunotherapy. The Campbell Foundation, celebrating 30 years, has provided over $12 million in HIV/AIDS research and services.

The Campbell Foundation Awards $100,000 Grant to
Fred Hutch for Gene Therapy to Eliminate Long-Term HIV Treatment

The Campbell Foundation has awarded $100,000 to Anne‑Sophie Kuhlmann at Fred Hutch Cancer Center to advance a potential one‑shot gene therapy for HIV. Her research aims to reprogram B cells so they continuously produce powerful anti‑HIV antibodies, overcoming the short‑lived effects of current antibody injections. The project uses engineered virus‑like particles to deliver genetic edits directly into B cells, a strategy that could expand access to treatment globally and accelerate B‑cell–based therapies for other chronic diseases. Reviewers praised the proposal as highly relevant and an important proof‑of‑concept for future HIV cure efforts. As The Campbell Foundation marks its 30th year, leaders say the grant reflects its ongoing mission to pursue innovative paths toward ending HIV/AIDS.

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