How antibody Fc regions help protect against HIV
Mechanisms of Antibody Fc Mediated Protection
Testing whether antibodies that recruit immune cells through their Fc region can help prevent HIV infection in people and animal models.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11161539 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be hearing about work that looks at two ways antibodies stop viruses: the part that directly blocks the virus and the Fc part that calls in immune cells. The team uses lab experiments, human immune samples, and nonhuman primate (SIV/SHIV) models to see which antibody targets and Fc features give the best protection. They compare neutralizing and non-neutralizing antibodies and study how interactions with NK cells, monocytes, and granulocytes influence outcomes. The findings aim to guide vaccine and antibody designs that use Fc-mediated functions more effectively.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be people at risk for HIV or volunteers who can provide blood or immune samples and may be candidates for future prevention trials.
Not a fit: People already living with chronic HIV are unlikely to benefit directly because the project focuses on prevention rather than treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to vaccines or antibody treatments that better prevent HIV by harnessing immune-cell–recruiting Fc functions.
How similar studies have performed: Some prior vaccine and antibody studies (for example RV144 and certain NHP passive-transfer experiments) suggest Fc-mediated functions can help, but reliably using them for protection remains unclear.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tomaras, Georgia Doris — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Tomaras, Georgia Doris
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.