Understanding the body's early response to HIV-1
Official title: In vivo innate immune sensing of HIV-1 infection
Funded at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center · NIH-11145751 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work explores how the body's natural defenses react right after HIV-1 infection to help develop better ways to prevent or treat the virus.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $213,502 |
| NIH project number | 5R21AI184087-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11145751 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational research is not directly recruiting patients but aims to benefit individuals at risk of or living with HIV-1 in the future.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking immediate treatment or direct clinical intervention will not receive benefit from this basic science project.
What this research studies
HIV-1 continues to be a major global health challenge, and an effective vaccine is urgently needed. This project aims to understand the very first immune reactions that happen when someone is infected with HIV-1, which are crucial for how the disease develops. We are looking at how different immune cells and pathways detect the virus and respond, both in ways that fight the virus and ways that might cause inflammation. By learning more about these early events, we hope to find new targets for vaccines and treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new strategies for developing an effective HIV-1 vaccine or improved treatments by better understanding the body's immune response.
How similar studies have gone: While previous studies have shown how innate immune responses can detect HIV-1 in lab settings, the specific contributions of different immune cells and pathways in a living system are largely unknown.
Where this research is happening
-
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rongvaux, Anthony — Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Study coordinator: Rongvaux, Anthony
Related research
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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.