Project Grant R01AI197971

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases awarded Duke University $866,664 on August 3, 2026, under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) to conduct research on antigen-specific MHC-E-mediated NK-cell targeting of the HIV/SIV reservoir.

The award funds research developing and testing approaches to harness adaptive NK cells to suppress and eliminate HIV and SIV reservoirs. The work comprises three primary aims: developing single chain MHC-E-based vaccines that promote adaptive NK cell responses to HIV/SIV; engineering adaptive NK cell products with enhanced recognition and elimination of SIV-infected cells by leveraging the NKG2X/MHC-E axis; and evaluating MHC-E-dependent adaptive NK cell-based immunotherapies to target infected cells. The research builds on recent findings that antigen-specific adaptive NK cells recognize HIV and SIV through epitope-specific responses to peptides presented by HLA-E, a mechanism the investigator team has demonstrated in both human and nonhuman primate models and successfully expanded into single adaptive NK cells displaying potent anti-HIV/SIV cytotoxic activity.

Duke University's Office of Research Administration administers the award, which runs from August 3, 2026, through July 31, 2031, with work performed in Durham, North Carolina.