Whether long-lasting, high-quality T-cell responses from the Opti-FliP vaccine can help protect against HIV

Contributions of durable, high-avidity T-cell responses to protection achieved using the Opti-FliP vaccine regimen

NIH-funded research University of California at Davis · NIH-11248852

Looks at whether a vaccine approach that makes long-lasting, high-quality T cells can help protect people from HIV.

Quick facts

Grant typeP01 program project
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of California at Davis NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Davis, United States)
Project IDNIH-11248852 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This project is trying to create T cells that stick around longer and respond more strongly to HIV. Researchers will use new vaccine tweaks, including special immune-boosting molecules, to produce both killer T cells and helper T cells that support antibody-making B cells. They will test how these T-cell approaches work alone and when combined with vaccines that drive antibodies, using lab and animal models that mimic HIV infection. The goal is to find combinations that could lead to better protective vaccines for people in the future.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People living with HIV or those at high risk of HIV infection would be the eventual target population for vaccines developed from this research.

Not a fit: Because much of the work is preclinical, people are unlikely to get direct benefit now from this project and it will not immediately change clinical care.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to vaccines that give stronger and longer-lasting protection against HIV infection.

How similar studies have performed: Large prior HIV vaccine trials have mostly failed to show strong protection, so this approach is relatively novel though some early and animal studies suggest immune-focused strategies might help.

Where this research is happening

Davis, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome VirusAcquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Virus
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.