Tracking virus and antibody changes in HIV to guide vaccine design
Virus and Antibody Gene Sequencing Core
This project follows how HIV and the antibodies that try to fight it change over time to help design better vaccines for people at risk of or living with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11294152 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team sequences virus envelope genes and antibody genes from infected animals and human-derived samples to map how viruses escape and how antibodies mature. They use infected rhesus macaques as a guide to identify specific viral variants that can prime and boost antibody responses that target the V3 glycan patch. Those identified envelope variants are then used to design vaccine components (immunogens) intended to steer antibody maturation toward broadly neutralizing responses. The work combines detailed genetic sequencing, antibody lineage tracing, and iterative immunogen design across collaborating projects at the university.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living with HIV or those at high risk for HIV infection would be the ultimate candidates for vaccines developed from this work and may be eligible for future trials informed by these findings.
Not a fit: This project is mainly preclinical and focused on vaccine design, so it is unlikely to provide direct treatment benefits to patients now.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to vaccines that elicit broadly neutralizing antibodies and substantially improve prevention of HIV infection.
How similar studies have performed: Researchers have previously mapped virus–antibody co‑evolution and identified promising antibody lineages, but no approach has yet produced a widely effective HIV vaccine, so this builds on promising but still incomplete prior work.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hahn, Beatrice H — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Hahn, Beatrice H
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.