Developing vaccines for dengue and related viruses
Official title: Project 2: Vaccine Design Epidemic Flaviviruses
Funded at Washington University · NIH-10863003 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on new vaccines to help protect people from dengue virus and similar viruses, using a special method to create proteins that can boost your immune system, so we can better handle current and future outbreaks.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | August 12, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $4,782,234 |
| NIH project number | 1U19AI181960-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10863003 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals living in or traveling to regions where dengue and related flaviviruses are prevalent.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not at risk of exposure to flaviviruses or those who have already been vaccinated against these viruses may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on creating effective vaccines for flaviviruses, particularly dengue virus type 2, which poses a significant health threat globally. The team aims to utilize a novel structure-based method to produce stable proteins that can trigger strong immune responses. By developing modular vaccine platforms, they hope to provide solutions for current and future outbreaks of dengue and other related viruses. Patients may benefit from these vaccines, which are designed to be adaptable to various flavivirus strains.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to effective vaccines that significantly reduce the incidence of dengue fever and other flavivirus-related diseases.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in developing vaccines for flaviviruses, indicating that this approach could lead to significant advancements in public health.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Desilva, Aravinda M. — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Desilva, Aravinda M.
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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.