Sulfur-stabilized HIV glycoconjugates to help create powerful bnAbs
Official title: Sulfur-substituted glycoconjugate immunogens for regimens to elicit high-mannose patch antibodies
Funded at Brandeis University · NIH-11483623 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are testing sugar-coated HIV vaccine components in animals to see if they can better trigger broadly-protective antibodies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brandeis University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Waltham, United States) |
| Project start | August 19, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $841,708 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AI203734-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11483623 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals at risk for HIV who could participate in future vaccine trials or donate samples for further antibody analysis.
✕Less likely to help
Participants not directly receiving a vaccine or clinical trial may not benefit in this early, preclinical stage.
What this research studies
This project explores special sugar structures that resist breakdown in the body to improve HIV vaccine prompts. We will compare a sulfur-stabilized glycan to the normal version, looking at the antibody responses in guinea pigs. The study also tests whether adding HIV Env proteins can boost and steer these responses toward the desired broadly neutralizing antibodies. In addition, we will design peptide-based scaffolds that mimic the High Mannose Patch to see if they can better focus the immune response, again with Env boosts to enhance effects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could lead to vaccines that produce antibodies capable of broadly protecting against diverse HIV strains.
How similar studies have gone: Similar glycan-focused vaccine strategies have shown promise in eliciting targeted antibody responses in preclinical models, but this approach is novel in its sulfur-stabilized design.
Where this research is happening
-
Brandeis University
Waltham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Krauss, Isaac Jonathan — Brandeis University
- Study coordinator: Krauss, Isaac Jonathan
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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.