Boosting HIV-specific T cells to control the virus after stopping ART
Project 2
This project works to strengthen and refocus HIV-fighting T cells so people living with HIV might better control the virus when antiretroviral therapy is paused.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California at Davis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Davis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11391008 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will study blood and immune cells from people and macaques who received therapeutic HIV vaccines that altered virus levels after treatment interruption. They will use single-cell RNA and T-cell receptor sequencing plus high-dimensional flow cytometry to track individual T-cell clones, their functions, and their memory-like and tissue-homing properties. The team aims to understand how vaccines can convert exhausted HIV-specific T cells into long-lived, proliferative, and reservoir-seeking cells that can suppress virus without continuous ART. Insights will guide design of vaccines that produce durable, targeted antiviral responses.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people living with HIV who have taken part in therapeutic vaccine trials or who could join trials involving planned ART interruption and blood or tissue sampling.
Not a fit: People who cannot safely interrupt ART, have unstable health, or are unwilling to provide blood/tissue samples are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to vaccines that help some people maintain viral control without continuous antiretroviral therapy.
How similar studies have performed: Some prior therapeutic vaccine trials have produced partial control of HIV after ART interruption, but the mechanistic clonal and single-cell details remain novel and incompletely understood.
Where this research is happening
Davis, United States
- University of California at Davis — Davis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hartigan-O'connor, Dennis J. — University of California at Davis
- Study coordinator: Hartigan-O'connor, Dennis J.
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.