Grant: Operating Grant: Optimizing the VSV Vector towards an HIV Vaccine

Over 36 million people are currently infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and approximately 1.8 million new people are infected annually. While drugs exist to help treat an infection, there is currently no vaccine available to prevent the infection. We propose to improve upon a vaccine made by Dr. Chris Parks from the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI). This vaccine uses a modified animal virus (VSV), which does not cause disease in humans, as a vehicle to safely deliver a part of an altered protein from the HIV virus. The altered HIV protein interacts with the body to stimulate immune defenses that protects against HIV infection. We will modify further the altered HIV protein to have it be present in greater numbers on the surface of the VSV delivery vehicle and therefore make it better at inducing immune defenses. Once the modifications are complete, we will test these new vaccines in mice and rabbits to see which work best. The best vaccines will then be tested in small rhesus monkeys (macaques) to see if they can protect these animals from an infection. We will also work on making these vaccines in a manner that is compatible with future testing and application in humans.