Using immune memory to guide a hepatitis C vaccine
Correlates of protective immunity to HCV and rational vaccine design
This project looks at immune responses from people who have had hepatitis C to help create a vaccine that prevents long-lasting HCV infection, especially for people who inject drugs and young adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11056808 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be followed before, during, and after hepatitis C infection and again if you become reinfected, with regular blood draws and clinic visits. Scientists will study your immune cells, including memory CD4+ T cells and B cells, and the antibodies they make to see what helps clear the virus. They will compare responses after a first infection and after reinfection to find immune patterns that prevent persistent infection. Those findings will be used to guide design of vaccine approaches aimed at producing protective antibodies and T cell support.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are people at high risk for HCV—for example people who inject drugs or adolescents and young adults—who can be followed before, during, and after acute infection.
Not a fit: People who are not at risk for HCV, cannot give blood samples, or cannot attend follow-up visits are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a vaccine that prevents chronic hepatitis C and lowers the chance of reinfection for people at high risk.
How similar studies have performed: Past research shows memory T cells help clear reinfection but vaccines focused only on T cells have not prevented chronic HCV, so combining T cell and broadly neutralizing antibody approaches is a promising but still unproven path.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Grakoui, Arash — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Grakoui, Arash
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.