# In vivo Testing of Universal Influenza Vaccine Candidates at the Duke Regional Biocontainment Laboratory

> **NIH NIH R01** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $569,014

## Abstract

Abstract
The main goal of the parent award related this supplement is to develop and test in vivo novel vaccine
candidates towards the development of a universal influenza vaccine. By employing computational protein
design and high-throughput library screening methods, we aim to generate novel immunogens that
preferentially elicit broadly cross-reactive antibodies against diverse influenza viruses. As part of the parent
award, we proposed to engineer and test in vivo two hemagglutinin (HA) head-based immunogens with the
goal of eliciting broadly immune responses that target the HA head trimer interface. This HA region is
conserved across many influenza subtypes and is engaged by multiple broadly cross-reactive antibodies. We
have already tested in mice the immunogenicity of two engineered HA head immunogens and found that they
elicit antibodies that cross-react with multiple influenza subtypes, unlike the WT HA head template that they
were based on. Based on these results, we request funds in this application to further optimize and test HA
head-based immunogens for the elicitation of HA head trimer interface antibodies. This supplement will provide
resources to test additional immunogens than those planned in the parent award, and will make available more
biologically relevant animal models for in vivo immunogen testing through a collaboration with the Duke
Regional Biocontainment Laboratory (RBL). The Duke RBL has developed multiple mouse and ferret viral
challenge models with diverse influenza strains that will now become accessible to us through this supplement.
This proposal will therefore augment the work of the parent award, by providing the resources to further
develop and rigorously test in vivo HA head derived immunogens with the final goal of discovering a universal
influenza vaccine.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10627011
- **Project number:** 3R01AI155804-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Mihai Luchian Azoitei
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $569,014
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2021-08-20 → 2025-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10627011

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10627011, In vivo Testing of Universal Influenza Vaccine Candidates at the Duke Regional Biocontainment Laboratory (3R01AI155804-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10627011. Licensed CC0.

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