A new animal model to speed HIV vaccine development
Breaking the Barrier to an HIV Vaccine
This project is creating a new animal model to help make vaccines that could prevent HIV infection in people at risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boulder, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11143869 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have or are at risk for HIV, researchers are creating an animal model that copies how HIV infects people and how the virus hides in the body. They will develop lab tools to use this model to study immune responses and whether vaccines can block different HIV subtypes. The team will use the model to test vaccine ideas and see which ones best prevent infection and reduce the hidden viral reservoir. This is preclinical work meant to help pick the most promising vaccine candidates before testing in people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This project does not enroll people because it focuses on developing and testing an animal model rather than running a patient trial.
Not a fit: People currently living with HIV should not expect direct medical benefit from this lab-based animal-model research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could speed development of effective HIV vaccines that prevent infection and contribute to ending the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
How similar studies have performed: Existing macaque models have helped vaccine research but have important limits, and this new model is novel and unproven for guiding vaccine development.
Where this research is happening
Boulder, UNITED STATES
- University of Colorado — Boulder, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sawyer, Sara — University of Colorado
- Study coordinator: Sawyer, Sara
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.