Animal models for testing HIV vaccine ideas

Scientific Core: Animal Models

NIH-funded research Scripps Research Institute, the · NIH-11312609

This project builds and uses special mice with human immune parts to speed development of better HIV vaccines for people at risk of HIV.

Quick facts

Grant typeP01 program project
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionScripps Research Institute, the NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (La Jolla, United States)
Project IDNIH-11312609 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Researchers will make and use humanized mice that carry real human antibody genes to try out different vaccine designs and prime‑and‑boost strategies. The Animal Model Core will create up to six new knock‑in mouse lines based on insights from human B cells and will run immunizations using existing HIV models. Tissues and samples from these mice will be shared with other teams in the consortium for detailed immune analysis. The goal is to guide which vaccine candidates move forward into early human testing.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People living with or at high risk for HIV are the intended beneficiaries and could become candidates for future vaccine trials informed by this work.

Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate treatment benefits or people without HIV-related concerns are unlikely to gain direct clinical benefit from this animal-model focused project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could speed the selection of vaccine candidates that trigger strong human antibody responses and ultimately help prevent HIV infections.

How similar studies have performed: Humanized mouse models and germline‑targeting or epitope‑focused vaccine approaches have already helped several candidates reach early human trials, so this builds on promising but still early successes.

Where this research is happening

La Jolla, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome VirusAcquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Virus
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.