Three vaccine approaches against Kaposi's sarcoma–associated herpesvirus with a new mouse model
Development of three KSHV vaccine platforms and chimeric MHV68-K-G for in vivo mouse infection study
Developing three vaccine approaches and a matching mouse model to help prevent infection with KSHV, the virus that can cause Kaposi's sarcoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11195088 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project is creating three different vaccine platforms aimed at preventing KSHV infection and its cancer-related complications. Researchers will also build a chimeric mouse virus (MHV68-K-G) that carries KSHV surface proteins so vaccines can be tested in mice. Work is laboratory and animal-based to show which vaccine designs produce protective antibodies and limit infection in vivo. If successful, these preclinical results would help move the most promising vaccine candidates toward human testing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People at higher risk for KSHV-related disease—such as people living with HIV, organ transplant recipients, older men with classic KS risk, and individuals in KSHV-endemic regions like parts of sub-Saharan Africa—would be most likely to benefit from eventual vaccines.
Not a fit: Because this is focused on preventing infection, people who already have chronic KSHV infection or established Kaposi's sarcoma are unlikely to receive direct benefit from the vaccine approaches in this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the vaccines could reduce KSHV infections and lower the risk of Kaposi's sarcoma and related cancers in at-risk groups.
How similar studies have performed: There has been very limited prior vaccine work for KSHV and few in vivo models, so using a chimeric MHV68 as a surrogate is a novel preclinical strategy with limited direct precedent.
Where this research is happening
Cleveland, United States
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru — Cleveland, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jung, Jae U — Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru
- Study coordinator: Jung, Jae U
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.