Developing vaccines to activate broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV-1
Official title: Investigation into the activation of multiple bnAb precursors using structure-designed immunogens and Ig knock-in mice
Funded at Wistar Institute · NIH-10974029 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at new ways to create vaccines that help the immune system fight HIV-1 by encouraging it to produce a wide range of protective antibodies, using special mice to test how well these vaccines work.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wistar Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | November 3, 2022 |
| Project end | October 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $881,947 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI172627-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-10974029 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research would be individuals at risk for HIV-1 infection or those living with HIV who are interested in new vaccine approaches.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not at risk for HIV-1 or those who are already effectively managing their HIV with current treatments may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on creating vaccines that can stimulate the immune system to produce broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) against HIV-1. It employs advanced protein engineering techniques and utilizes specially designed mice that carry human-like antibodies to test the effectiveness of these vaccines. The goal is to explore a dual lineage targeting approach to enhance the immune response and improve the breadth of neutralization against the virus. By understanding how to activate different antibody lineages, the research aims to pave the way for more effective HIV-1 vaccines.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to the development of a more effective HIV-1 vaccine that provides broader protection against the virus.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in activating bnAbs through sequential immunization strategies, but this dual lineage approach is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Wistar Institute
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Escolano, Amelia — Wistar Institute
- Study coordinator: Escolano, Amelia
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Immunomodulation to Fight Cancer Spread
A cancer-focused training opportunity to learn how tumors and the immune system interact during cancer spread and use that knowledge to develop new immunotherapies.
-
Broadly neutralizing nanobodies to improve HIV therapy
Researchers are developing tiny antibodies called nanobodies to target HIV in new ways that could make treatments easier and more effective for people living with HIV.
-
BEAT-HIV: a collaborative effort to cure HIV with immunotherapy
A multi-institution study is testing a combination immunotherapy approach to achieve long-term HIV remission or cure for people on ART.
-
Epitope-engineered stem cells to enable HIV cure with targeted CAR-T therapy
A patient-focused plan to use a person’s own stem cells, edited to resist HIV and paired with specialized CAR-T cells, to clear HIV reservoirs.
-
Comprehensive bioinformatics support for cancer research at a leading cancer center
A cancer center-wide bioinformatics program helps researchers analyze data, build reusable data resources, and apply computational methods to cancer studies.
-
Refocusing HIV antibodies to target parts that block many strains
This project tries a new vaccine approach to steer the immune system to make antibodies that can block many types of HIV for people at risk.
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.