Vaccine approach to teach the immune system to make broad HIV antibodies targeting the V3 glycan site
Immunogen design to elicit polyclonal bNAb responses to the V3 glycan supersite
This project develops vaccine components to teach the immune system to make broad antibodies that can fight many strains of HIV by targeting a sugar-covered spot on the virus.
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-11294160 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are designing and testing vaccine components (immunogens) that bind the early B cells capable of becoming broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV's V3 glycan site. They test these immunogens in the lab and in rhesus macaques infected with SHIV to see which vaccine sequences expand the right B cell lineages and select helpful mutations. By comparing many antibody lineages that target the same site, the team aims to identify shared maturation steps and then design boosting immunogens to guide antibodies toward broad virus recognition. The work combines protein design, animal immunizations, and detailed antibody sequencing to map the pathways needed for broad neutralization.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants for future human trials would be HIV-negative adults at risk of infection who are willing to receive experimental vaccines and attend follow-up visits.
Not a fit: People living with established HIV infection would be unlikely to gain direct benefit from this prevention-focused vaccine research at this stage.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to vaccines that trigger broadly neutralizing antibodies and protect people from many different HIV strains.
How similar studies have performed: Previous preclinical studies have shown it is possible to engage bNAb precursor B cells and induce some key mutations, but no vaccine to date has reliably produced broadly neutralizing antibodies in humans.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wiehe, Kevin — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Wiehe, Kevin
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.