HIV vaccine designs that expose weak spots on the virus envelope
Exploiting glycan holes and sequence diversity of naturally occurring HIV envelope towards the design of vaccine immunogen panels for induction of neutralization breadth
Developing vaccine components to help people at risk for HIV make broadly neutralizing antibodies against many viral strains.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11173778 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are creating panels of engineered HIV envelope proteins that intentionally lack some sugar coverings (so-called glycan holes) to reveal key antibody targets. They will use knowledge from people whose antibodies naturally broadened and combine 3-D structure and computational design to pick promising immunogens. These candidate proteins will be tested in laboratory models and preclinical systems to see which provoke the widest antibody responses. The results will guide which vaccine pieces could advance to future human trials.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults at risk for HIV infection or people willing to enroll in future HIV vaccine clinical trials would be the most likely candidates for participation or direct benefit.
Not a fit: People already living with well-controlled HIV who are seeking treatment or a cure would not directly benefit from this preventive vaccine-focused research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to vaccines that train the immune system to neutralize many different HIV variants and better prevent infection.
How similar studies have performed: Some preclinical studies, including related work using a similar transmitted/founder Env, have shown promising antibody responses in animals, but translating that to a broadly protective human vaccine remains unproven.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- University of Washington — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Derdeyn, Cynthia Ann — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Derdeyn, Cynthia Ann
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.