A vaccine to protect against many different coronaviruses
Development of pan-betacoronavirus vaccines
Creating vaccines to help protect people from a range of betacoronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, SARS, and MERS.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11285259 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are designing vaccine components that mimic shared parts of the coronavirus spike protein so the immune system can make broadly neutralizing antibodies. They will test these engineered immunogens and different vaccination schedules in the lab and in animal models to find formulations that produce strong, long-lasting antibody responses. The approach focuses on specific antibody target sites (epitopes) that are common across diverse betacoronaviruses. Promising candidates would be advanced toward future human testing and clinical trials.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Future clinical trials would likely invite adults at higher risk of coronavirus exposure or severe outcomes, such as healthcare workers, older adults, and people with chronic health conditions.
Not a fit: People with health issues unrelated to coronavirus or those already well protected by approved vaccines may not see direct benefit in the short term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to vaccines that protect people against current and future betacoronavirus outbreaks, reducing infections and severe disease.
How similar studies have performed: While current COVID-19 vaccines have been effective against SARS-CoV-2 and some labs have identified broadly neutralizing antibody targets, truly broad pan-betacoronavirus vaccines remain experimental.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Andrabi, Raiees Ahmad — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Andrabi, Raiees Ahmad
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.