How antibodies target HIV to guide better vaccines
Dissecting Polyclonal Sera to Reveal Correlates of Productive Immune Responses to HIV
['FUNDING_R01'] · SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, THE · NIH-11285451
This project looks at how people’s antibodies attack HIV so researchers can design vaccines that teach the immune system to block the virus.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, THE (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (LA JOLLA, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11285451 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
The team uses high-resolution imaging and single-cell sequencing to map exactly where and how people’s antibodies bind HIV. If I donate blood after vaccination or infection, scientists can match the antibody shapes they see to the antibody genes in my B cells. Those matches let researchers recreate effective monoclonal antibodies and design vaccine pieces that steer the immune response toward protective targets. The work uses samples from human vaccine trials, so my contribution could directly inform better HIV vaccine designs.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are volunteers who can provide blood samples after receiving an experimental HIV vaccine or after HIV exposure, including people enrolled in related vaccine trials.
Not a fit: People seeking an immediate treatment or cure for active HIV infection are unlikely to get direct clinical benefit from this vaccine-discovery research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help create vaccines that prompt broader, more protective anti-HIV antibody responses.
How similar studies have performed: Structure-guided vaccine approaches and electron-microscopy mapping have shown promising early results in preclinical studies and phase I trials, but a broadly protective HIV vaccine has not yet been achieved.
Where this research is happening
LA JOLLA, UNITED STATES
- SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, THE — LA JOLLA, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: WARD, ANDREW BARRETT — SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, THE
- Study coordinator: WARD, ANDREW BARRETT
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.
Conditions: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Virus, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Virus