How the immune system remembers hepatitis C
Understanding human antibody responses to chronic viral hepatitis C
Researchers will follow people cured of chronic hepatitis C to learn how their antibody-making B cells recover and respond to future HCV exposure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Scripps Research Institute, the NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11247527 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will collect blood samples before, during, and after DAA treatment to track your memory B cells that make antibodies to hepatitis C. They will isolate those B cells and study the antibodies they produce to see which ones target parts of the virus that stay the same across strains. Lab tests will check whether these antibodies can neutralize different HCV variants and sequencing will map how the B cells change over time. The team wants to understand why immune memory after chronic infection may fail and which antibodies could protect against reinfection or inform vaccines.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who had chronic hepatitis C and were cured with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) and who are willing to provide blood samples over time are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without a history of hepatitis C infection or those who have not received DAA treatment are unlikely to qualify or gain direct benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Findings could help design vaccines or other strategies to prevent hepatitis C reinfection and better protect people at high risk.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have characterized HCV antibodies and memory B cells, but tracking recovery of memory responses after DAA cure is a more recent and developing area.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- Scripps Research Institute, the — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Law, Mansun — Scripps Research Institute, the
- Study coordinator: Law, Mansun
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.