Vaccines that teach the immune system to make broad HIV-fighting antibodies.
Developing Immunogens to Elicit Broadly Neutralizing anti-HIV-1 Antibodies
New vaccine designs aim to teach the immune system to make broadly neutralizing antibodies to protect people at risk of HIV infection.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | California Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pasadena, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11252589 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are designing vaccine pieces that mimic HIV's outer spike so the body can learn to make broadly neutralizing antibodies. They engineered three nanoparticle-based immunogens that target different vulnerable sites on the HIV envelope and tested them in mouse and other animal models. The team measures antibody responses, maps where antibodies bind, and refines prime-boost combinations to widen and strengthen the response. While the current work is lab- and animal-based, successful findings would guide future human vaccine trials.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people at risk for HIV infection or those willing to join future preventive vaccine trials.
Not a fit: People already living with HIV or those with severe immune suppression may not gain preventive benefit from this vaccine-focused research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a preventive HIV vaccine that protects people by prompting broadly neutralizing antibodies against many viral strains.
How similar studies have performed: Related vaccine approaches have generated encouraging antibody responses in animal models and engineered mice, but they remain unproven for preventing HIV in people.
Where this research is happening
Pasadena, United States
- California Institute of Technology — Pasadena, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bjorkman, Pamela J — California Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Bjorkman, Pamela J
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.