Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Duke University's Office of Research Administration has been awarded $211,008 by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) to conduct a five-year research project from June 8, 2026 through May 31, 2031. The award supports investigator-initiated biomedical research examining antibody-mediated immune responses to Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus (KSHV) infection in immunocompromised populations. The research will utilize the rhesus macaque rhadinovirus (RRV)/rhesus macaque model to investigate how antibodies with Fc-receptor-mediated effector functions can suppress viral reactivation following simian immunodeficiency virus co-infection.

The project deliverables include comparative analysis of antibody responses during primary RRV infection and reactivation, characterization of B cell maturation capacity to produce functionally active antibodies, and efficacy evaluations of these antibodies in immunocompromised animal models to prevent viral reactivation. This research addresses a critical knowledge gap regarding the role of Fc-mediated antibody effector functions in controlling KSHV, with potential applications for developing immune interventions to complement antiretroviral therapy in people living with HIV and other immunocompromised populations susceptible to KSHV-driven Kaposi's Sarcoma.