Vaccine and immune therapy for Valley fever (coccidioidomycosis)
Official title: Project #3:Active Vaccination and Immunotherapy Against Coccidioidomycosis
Funded at University of Texas San Antonio · NIH-11251797 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Testing new vaccine approaches that teach the immune system to protect people at risk of Valley fever.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas San Antonio NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Antonio, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2022 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $404,324 |
| NIH project number | 5U19AI166761-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11251797 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be adults at risk for coccidioidomycosis, such as people living or working in endemic areas.
✕Less likely to help
People with severe immune suppression or those already with advanced, uncontrolled fungal disease may not benefit from a preventive vaccine.
What this research studies
Researchers are developing vaccines that make a person’s own cells produce key Coccidioides proteins so the immune system learns to fight Valley fever. They will create mRNA and harmless viral vector formulations and compare them to a protein vaccine that protected specially engineered mice. The team will measure human-type immune responses and improve manufacturing methods so the vaccine can be scaled up. Work combines laboratory testing, immune monitoring, and steps toward clinical readiness.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these vaccines could prevent Valley fever or help the immune system clear infection more quickly.
How similar studies have gone: A related protein vaccine protected humanized mice, and mRNA/vector vaccine platforms have succeeded for other infections, but these approaches are new for Valley fever.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas San Antonio
San Antonio, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hung, Chiung-Yu — University of Texas San Antonio
- Study coordinator: Hung, Chiung-Yu
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Personalized tumor vaccine plus immune blockers for glioblastoma
This project explores whether combining a patient's own tumor‑based vaccine with two immune‑blocking drugs can help people with glioblastoma.
-
Targeting brain cancer resistance with dendritic cell vaccination and PD-1/CSF-1R inhibition
This grant supports a brain cancer study that tests a vaccine-based immunotherapy combined with checkpoints and myeloid-cell blockade to help glioblastoma patients live longer.
-
COVID-19 vaccine responses in kidney transplant patients taking mycophenolate
This project looks at how the anti-rejection drug mycophenolate affects COVID-19 vaccine protection in people with kidney transplants.
-
Improving Immunotherapy for Brain Cancer
This research explores new ways to make immunotherapy more effective for people with glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer, by overcoming treatment resistance.
-
Investigating immune responses to COVID-19 vaccination in children with multiple sclerosis on immunotherapy
This study is looking at how different treatments for multiple sclerosis affect how well kids respond to COVID-19 vaccines, so we can better understand how to protect them.
-
Understanding how kidney transplant patients respond to COVID-19 vaccination while on specific immunosuppressive therapy
This study is looking at how kidney transplant patients taking a medication called mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) respond to COVID-19 vaccines, and whether stopping this medication before getting vaccinated could help them build a stronger immune response and better protect them against the virus.
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.