Michael Kubitz

The paper investigates how B cell affinity affects germinal center (GC) responses by showing high-affinity B cells have shorter GC residence times and lower-affinity B cells are maintained, suggesting an antibody feedback mechanism that modulates affinity and epitope spreading.

This paper reports structural analysis of VRC01-class bnAb precursors from a vaccine trial, showing they bind HIV Env with germline-like features and glycan adaptability.

Membrane-bound BG505 MD39.3 Env trimer delivered as mRNA-LNP reduced base-directed antibody responses in rabbits and macaques and elicited neutralizing antibodies, with memory B cell responses documented in macaques.

The paper presents a nanodisc platform for assembling transmembrane glycoproteins into vaccine candidates, demonstrating its utility in HIV vaccine development through structural and functional analyses.

This study shows that antigen avidity affects the durability and diversity of vaccine-induced immune responses by influencing germinal center dynamics and B cell outcomes.

The paper investigates how vaccine antigen delivery and adjuvant selection affect the priming of rare HIV broadly neutralizing antibody-precursor B cells in non-human primates, finding that specific dosing and adjuvant combinations enhance their detection in germinal centers.

This study compares the immune response in non-human primates between alum and SMNP adjuvants, finding SMNP induces stronger humoral responses and enhanced lymph node activation.

The paper analyzes B cell responses to a germline-targeting immunogen in human Ig loci transgenic mice, finding diverse non-VRC01-class B cells and competitor B cells recognizing epitopes near the VRC01 epitope.