Designing HIV vaccine components to encourage broadly neutralizing antibodies
Assessing HIV-1 Broadly Neutralizing Antibody Association Pathways for Vaccine Immunogen Design
Researchers are designing vaccine parts to help the immune system make broadly neutralizing antibodies that can protect against many HIV strains.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11141887 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use computer simulations and laboratory experiments to map how HIV-targeting antibodies first encounter and then bind viral parts at atomic detail. They will study the speed and pathways of these encounters to understand which binding behaviors favor broadly neutralizing antibody responses. Using those insights, they will design and test vaccine antigens with specific binding properties intended to steer the immune system toward making protective antibodies. Successful designs will then inform the next steps toward participant-facing vaccine trials.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People at risk for HIV and volunteers interested in future HIV vaccine trials would be the likely candidates for participant-facing work that follows this research.
Not a fit: Individuals seeking immediate treatment benefits, such as those needing antiretroviral therapy now, are unlikely to get direct benefit from this early-stage laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to vaccine components that more reliably trigger broadly neutralizing antibodies and provide broader protection against HIV variants.
How similar studies have performed: Structure-guided and germline-targeting vaccine efforts have shown early promise, but applying detailed binding-kinetics from simulations to design antigens is a relatively new and experimental approach.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Henderson, Rory — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Henderson, Rory
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.