How antibodies help control hepatitis B in people with and without HIV
The role of neutralizing antibodies in natural and treatment-induced control of hepatitis B with and without HIV-1 co-infection
This project looks at whether antibody responses help people with hepatitis B — including those who also have HIV — control or clear the infection.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11235131 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you took part, researchers would use blood samples from people who had acute hepatitis B in the long-term MACS-WIHS cohort, including people living with HIV, to measure neutralizing antibodies and B cell types. They will compare people who cleared HBV on their own with those who developed chronic infection, and also include people who achieved control while on HBV treatment. The team will isolate HBV surface antigen–specific B cells and produce monoclonal antibodies to study how strong and how long antibody responses last. Results will come from comparing antibody levels, B cell repertoires, and antibody genes across these groups.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with a documented history of acute hepatitis B infection, including people living with HIV and those similar to participants in the MACS-WIHS cohort, would best match this study.
Not a fit: People without prior acute HBV infection, children, or anyone not part of the cohort are unlikely to get direct benefits from this specific project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help predict who is protected against HBV reactivation and guide better vaccines or antibody-based therapies for people with and without HIV.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies show neutralizing antibodies can protect against HBV, but detailed comparisons in people with HIV and in treatment-induced functional cure are relatively new and less well studied.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bailey, Justin Richard — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Bailey, Justin Richard
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.