Primate support for developing HIV vaccines
Core B: Non-human Primate Core
This program supports monkey studies to help design HIV vaccines that teach the immune system to make widely protective antibodies for infants and adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11307019 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This core uses rhesus macaques to test vaccine designs intended to induce broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) against the HIV envelope. Infant and adult macaques are given germline-targeting Env proteins with adjuvant, and researchers collect blood, tissue, and gut samples over time to follow immune and molecular changes. The team applies systems biology and microbiome analyses to compare animals that do and do not develop bnAbs to identify biological factors that steer B cell lineages. Findings are intended to guide selection and improvement of vaccine candidates for future human trials.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This core primarily works with nonhuman primates, so direct enrollment of people is not part of the core, but future human vaccine trials informed by these results would recruit infants and adults at risk for HIV.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate HIV treatment or a cure are unlikely to benefit directly because this core focuses on preclinical vaccine development in animals.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could guide HIV vaccine designs that produce durable broadly neutralizing antibodies and reduce the risk of HIV infection in infants and adults.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work using the same germline-targeting Env protein has shown promising bnAb development in a portion of infant and adult rhesus macaques and some human immunizations, but eliciting broad neutralization reliably remains challenging.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: De Paris, Kristina — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: De Paris, Kristina
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.