Summary of Federal Project Grant Award

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded Duke University $106,164 under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) for a two-year project running from April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2028. This Project Grant supports investigator-initiated research examining the modulation of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) immune control through HLA-E-VL9 (Human Leukocyte Antigen-E presenting the VL9 peptide) and HLA-E-VL9 binding antibodies. The research aims to determine how HIV-infected cells utilize HLA-E-VL9 expression to evade natural killer (NK) and CD8+ T cell killing and whether naturally derived anti-HLA-E-VL9 antibodies can counteract this immune evasion mechanism.

The funded research comprises two primary aims: (1) evaluating the functional consequences of HLA-E-VL9 expression on HIV-infected CD4+ T cells relative to NK and T cell killing capacity, and (2) assessing the role of endogenous HLA-E-VL9 binding antibodies in responding to retroviral infection using both human and non-human primate samples. The principal investigator will receive training at Duke University's Office of Research Administration under the mentorship of Dr. Haynes and co-mentor Dr. Azoitei to develop enhanced skillsets in immune response assessment, T cell functional assays, and natural killer cell phenotyping. This research supports NIAID's mission to advance understanding of infectious disease mechanisms and generate knowledge applicable to therapeutic development.