Human metapneumovirus T cell targets
Discovery of human metapneumovirus epitopes
Identifying the parts of human metapneumovirus that trigger T cell responses in children and adults to help guide safer, more effective vaccines.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11174250 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This work looks for the specific viral pieces (epitopes) that human T cells recognize after metapneumovirus infection. Researchers will use mice engineered to carry human HLA genes and human blood immune cells to screen overlapping and predicted viral peptides using ELISPOT tests. Confirmed peptides will be made into tetramers to track and characterize CD8+ and CD4+ T cells that respond to the virus. The goal is to map which viral parts cause protective versus potentially harmful T cell responses to inform vaccine design.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who can give blood samples, including children and adults who have had HMPV or healthy donors representing different HLA types, are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Because this is laboratory-based epitope discovery, participants should not expect direct clinical benefit or immediate new treatments from involvement.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help design HMPV vaccines that produce protective T cell immunity while reducing the risk of vaccine-related lung inflammation.
How similar studies have performed: Similar epitope-mapping approaches using HLA-transgenic mice, human PBMCs, ELISPOT, and tetramers have successfully identified T cell targets for other respiratory viruses, though comprehensive HMPV-specific maps are limited.
Where this research is happening
Madison, United States
- University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Williams, John V. — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Williams, John V.
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.