Why some HIV strains resist powerful antibodies
Dissecting the mechanisms of HIV resistance in vivo to broadly neutralizing antibodies
This project looks at how HIV can survive treatment with broadly neutralizing antibodies in people with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11106031 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my point of view as a patient, researchers will use blood samples from people who received broadly neutralizing antibody (bnAb) therapy to find viruses that came back after treatment. They will identify the viral envelope proteins (Env) that show the strongest resistance to several bnAbs and compare their genetic sequence, function, and sugar (glycan) patterns. The team will determine the three-dimensional atomic structures of those resistant Envs and run lab tests to see how the changes affect antibody binding. Together these steps aim to reveal direct and indirect ways HIV escapes bnAb therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people living with HIV who have received or may enroll in clinical bnAb therapy trials or who can donate blood samples from such treatments.
Not a fit: People without HIV or those not involved in bnAb therapy or related clinical trials are unlikely to have a direct chance to participate or benefit immediately.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help doctors choose or design antibody treatments and vaccines that are less likely to be defeated by resistant HIV strains.
How similar studies have performed: Previous bnAb clinical work has shown that antibodies can suppress HIV but resistance can emerge, and sequencing plus laboratory analysis has helped identify some resistance patterns, though multi-bnAb resistance remains incompletely understood.
Where this research is happening
Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Herschhorn, Alon — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Herschhorn, Alon
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.