Engineered flu vaccine proteins displayed on multivalent scaffolds
Engineering Protein Antigens and their Presentation from Multivalent Scaffolds
This project aims to make a flu vaccine that trains the immune system to target a stable part of many dangerous flu viruses by using engineered protein pieces shown on tiny scaffolds.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11135380 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Scientists are designing protein versions of the flu virus's hemagglutinin (HA) that hide the changeable 'head' and expose the more stable 'stalk' so the immune system focuses on that shared part. They will attach these engineered proteins to multivalent scaffolds that display many copies in controlled orientations to boost and direct the antibody response. The team will test these constructs in the lab and in animal models to measure the strength, breadth, and durability of the antibody responses. If lab results are promising, the work could move toward steps needed for future human vaccine testing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for future trials would include healthy adults and others at risk for influenza who are willing to enroll in vaccine studies at participating research sites.
Not a fit: People with flu types outside group 1 or individuals who cannot mount immune responses, such as severely immunocompromised patients, may not receive protection from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to a broadly protective flu vaccine that guards against many group 1 influenza A strains, including potential pandemic and avian viruses.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work shows antibodies to the HA stalk can protect animals from influenza, but reliably inducing those antibodies with vaccines in people is still experimental, so this combined shielding-and-scaffold approach is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Georgia Institute of Technology — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kane, Ravi S. — Georgia Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Kane, Ravi S.
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.