Mapping antibody genes in rhesus macaques for HIV vaccine development
Population genotyping of the germline immunoglobulin repertoire in AIDS-designated rhesus macaque breeding colonies
Researchers will map antibody-related genes in rhesus macaques to improve HIV vaccine work that could help people at risk for HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11257146 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my perspective as someone interested in HIV vaccines, this project sequences the antibody (immunoglobulin) genes in breeding colonies of rhesus macaques used in vaccine testing. The team will build detailed maps of germline antibody gene variants and haplotypes so scientists can trace how antibodies evolve after vaccination. Those maps will help match vaccine designs to the right starting antibody types and interpret results from macaque vaccine experiments. Ultimately this makes preclinical vaccine results clearer and more useful for designing human vaccines.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living with HIV or those at high risk of HIV infection who follow vaccine research may benefit indirectly from faster, clearer vaccine development.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate new treatments for HIV infection would not receive direct or immediate clinical benefit from this animal-focused project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make preclinical HIV vaccine tests more predictive and speed development of vaccines that protect people from diverse HIV strains.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work has shown that knowing individual antibody gene variation helps track antibody evolution, but applying population-level genotyping in macaque colonies is a newer step for preclinical vaccine studies.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bosinger, Steven Edward — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Bosinger, Steven Edward
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.