HIVACTOGC

The interdisciplinary HIVacToGC project aims at new approaches for therapy and prevention of HIV. Led by Prof. Dr. Ralf Wagner of the University of Regensburg, the team develops methods for the targeted transport of HIV antigens to lymph nodes... In the HIVacToGC project we aim to facilitate elicitation of the proper immune response by (1) presenting the HIV envelope protein in the form of engineered, state-of-the-art antigens on particulate carries made of DNA origami, to resemble a virus-like shape (DNA-origami nanoparticles = DONPs), (2) that additionally are formulated to undergo release over time, and (3) are designed to get targeted to germinal centers of lymph nodes, which are the anatomical sites where high-quality antibody responses are developed... Our primary goal is to provide a pre-clinically validated pharmaceutical vaccine formulation and targeting strategy (technology readiness level 5 [TRL-5]), with the potential to protect from infection (prophylactic setting)..