A vaccine approach to protect against viruses like dengue, Zika, West Nile and Powassan
Development of a vaccination platform for emerging flavivirus infections
This project is developing a single vaccine approach to protect people at risk of infections from dengue, Zika, West Nile and Powassan viruses.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11231226 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are designing weakened (attenuated) versions of flaviviruses by changing a shared RNA structure called xrRNA1 so the virus is less harmful but still triggers immunity. The platform lets the team swap viral parts to create chimeric vaccine candidates and provides a conserved attenuation site that works for both mosquito- and tick-borne flaviviruses. They will test candidate vaccines for Zika, dengue and Powassan in animal models to measure immune responses and protection after viral challenge. These studies are preclinical steps intended to support future safety and efficacy testing in people if results are promising.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Future vaccine recipients would include adults at risk from mosquito- or tick-borne flaviviruses, such as travelers to or residents of endemic areas and people living where Powassan or dengue circulate.
Not a fit: People with severe immune suppression, certain chronic illnesses, or young children may not be candidates for live attenuated vaccines and might not benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to safe vaccines that prevent serious disease from multiple flaviviruses and reduce outbreaks of dengue, Zika, West Nile and Powassan.
How similar studies have performed: Live-attenuated and chimeric flavivirus vaccines have succeeded for some viruses (for example, yellow fever), but dengue vaccine development has been complicated by antibody-dependent enhancement, and this work applies a new RNA-based attenuation strategy to address those challenges.
Where this research is happening
Dallas, United States
- Ut Southwestern Medical Center — Dallas, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Beckham, John David — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Beckham, John David
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.