Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center recently received an $11 million life science research grant from the National Institutes of Health to fund the HIV Vaccine Trials Network. The organization within the NIH providing this latest round of life science funding is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Project leader Dr. Margaret Juliana McElrath is a professor of medicine at the University of Washington. Her research lab studies are focused on identifying and characterizing cellular immune responses that may help protect patients against HIV infection or disease.
This new life science research funding awarded to Dr. McElrath and her team of research lab scientists at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center will go a long way towards developing novel therapies and testing existing vaccines for patients with HIV or who are at risk of infection. The NIH Project Information page goes into more detail about how the life science research grant will be used to move the HIV Vaccine Trials Network forward:
“The HIV field is in a critical period to develop rapidly and evaluate immunogens that build upon findings from the RV144 regimen and to put forth rational new paradigms for protection. Over the past seven years, the HVTN Laboratory Program was a major leader and substantial contributor to understanding vaccine effects and immune correlates in the VaxGen, Step and RV144 efficacy trials. We raised the standards of immune monitoring in clinical trials, consistently providing high quality data in a GCLP setting using validated or standardized assays. When indicated, we rapidly shifted priorities, broadened collaborations and improved assays. Our Laboratory Center proposes to continue the performance of high quality, state-of-the-art laboratory research, which will accelerate the development of a safe and efficacious HIV vaccine. To accomplish this, we will execute protocol-related, validated endpoint laboratory assays and more comprehensive immunologic investigations to provide unambiguous measurements of vaccine immunogenicity.”
Dr. McElrath
Image courtesy of University of Washington
HIV Vaccine Trials Network Goals:
- Improve existing and create new technologies that prime the immune system
- Determine vaccine efficacy and research immune correlates
- Research vaccine-induced mucosal defense against HIV-1 invasion
- Investigate immune responses and combination strategies with vaccines for HIV prevention
- Fill gaps in development of vaccines for other global health concerns
In addition to receiving this latest life science research grant, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center received $199.1 million in life science research funding from the National Institutes of Health in 2013. That same year, the National Science Foundation awarded Fred Hutchinson $1.4 million.
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Fun Fred Hutchinson Event Video
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