Nanoparticles plus engineered mRNA to develop improved HIV vaccines
Integration of adjuvant derived nanoparticles and engineered mRNA for HIV vaccine discovery
This project combines immune-boosting nanoparticles with engineered mRNA to develop HIV vaccines that produce stronger antibody and T-cell responses.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11238441 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers at Mount Sinai are combining tiny immune-stimulating nanoparticles with engineered mRNA that instructs cells to make HIV proteins, with the goal of training the immune system more effectively. They are using adjuvant molecules that activate innate sensors (like TLRs and STING) packaged into nanoparticles to help deliver the mRNA. The team is also designing sugar-modified HIV proteins to enhance innate recognition and optimizing mRNA control regions to increase protein output. Most work is currently done in lab and animal models to pick the best vaccine formulations before any human testing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Future human testing would most likely enroll HIV-negative people at risk for infection, recruited at Mount Sinai or partner clinical sites.
Not a fit: People already living with chronic HIV infection or those with certain severe immune disorders may not benefit from a preventive vaccine approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more effective preventive HIV vaccines that better prevent infection or reduce disease severity.
How similar studies have performed: mRNA vaccine technology and adjuvanted nanoparticles have shown success in other vaccines and in animal studies, but combining these specific approaches for HIV remains largely experimental.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dong, Yizhou — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Dong, Yizhou
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.