Benign-by-Recoding: A New Way to Build Safer Coronavirus Vaccines
Official title: Benign by Recoding - Coronavirus Vaccines Through Genetic Deoptimization
Funded at Kansas State University · NIH-11336281 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A researcher at Kansas State University is working on a new type of COVID-19 vaccine made safer by deleting parts of the virus’s genetic code to reduce harm while still teaching the immune system.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Kansas State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Manhattan, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2020 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $227,064 |
| NIH project number | 2P20GM130448-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11336281 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patients at this stage; the study is preclinical and laboratory-based.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient benefits are expected from this early-stage research.
What this research studies
This project uses genetic recoding to create a live attenuated coronavirus vaccine that can replicate without causing strong disease, aiming to trigger protective mucosal immunity and reduce transmission. The work builds on prior findings that altering the virus’s ORF1ab region can attenuate virulence while preserving immune-stimulating features. Researchers will study the mechanisms by which codon-pair deoptimization affects viral protein production and overall virus behavior in cells and tissues. The ultimate goal is to understand why this attenuation occurs and whether it can lead to broadly applicable, safer vaccines for respiratory viruses. The grant supports foundational science with potential implications for future vaccine design and pandemic preparedness.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to safer vaccines that protect against infection and transmission.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work showed that genetic recoding can attenuate viruses and shape immune responses in preclinical models, supporting the relevance of this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Kansas State University
Manhattan, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Trimpert, Jakob — Kansas State University
- Study coordinator: Trimpert, Jakob
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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.