Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard received a $165,269 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), awarded June 12, 2026, with a completion date of May 31, 2028. The award funds research directed toward developing HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibodies (BNAbs) by engineering common human antibody precursors to target the V2 apex epitope of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein. The research focuses on advancing vaccine development by identifying and modifying B cell receptors that can be refined into potent neutralizing antibodies with minimal required mutations, leveraging the observation that apex BNAbs require fewer genetic changes than other BNab classes and that apex precursors may originate from naturally elicited CD4-induced co-receptor-binding site antibodies.

The project represents basic and translational research in infectious disease immunology intended to improve understanding of antibody development pathways and inform next-generation HIV vaccine design. Research activities conducted at the Broad Institute's Cambridge, Massachusetts location will generate scientific knowledge regarding B cell receptor engineering strategies and the feasibility of directing common precursor antibodies toward broadly neutralizing targets, contributing to the broader public health objective of developing an effective HIV vaccine.