Sunny Himansu

This study shows that mRNA vaccines can prime and mature ultrarare HIV bnAb precursor B cells in NHPs, with improved affinity using a modified immunogen.

This study shows that a germline-targeting HIV immunogen induces cross-neutralizing antibodies in outbred macaques by priming V2-apex bnAb B cell precursors.

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.

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.