Vaccines to trigger broadly neutralizing HIV antibodies
Developing Immunogens to Elicit Broadly Neutralizing anti-HIV-1 Antibodies
['FUNDING_P01'] · CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY · NIH-11252587
Researchers are making vaccine parts that teach the immune system to produce powerful antibodies that can block many different strains of HIV for people at risk of infection.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_P01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (PASADENA, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11252587 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Scientists at Caltech and partner labs produce large amounts of HIV proteins and antibodies and use automated machines to test how well immune responses bind and neutralize diverse HIV strains. They immunize animals (mice, rabbits, and rhesus macaques) to compare prime/boost vaccine designs and identify which approaches lead to broadly neutralizing antibodies. Single B cell technology is used to find and clone cross-reactive antibodies that could guide vaccine design. The core supports these projects by providing purified proteins and high-throughput binding and neutralization assays to pick candidates for future human testing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People at risk for HIV infection who might later enroll in vaccine trials aimed at eliciting broadly neutralizing antibodies would be the eventual candidates.
Not a fit: People already living with stable HIV who need immediate treatments rather than preventive vaccines are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this preclinical work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If this work succeeds, it could lead to vaccines that protect people from many HIV strains by teaching their immune systems to make broadly neutralizing antibodies.
How similar studies have performed: Researchers have discovered many broadly neutralizing antibodies and shown promising immune responses in animals and early human germline-targeting trials, but reliably inducing broad bNAbs across diverse people remains challenging.
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.