# Scientific Core: Animal Models

> **NIH NIH P01** · SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, THE · 2023 · $260,700

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Despite advances in treatment in recent years, HIV is still responsible for more than half a million deaths
annually; new infections have, furthermore, continued to exceed the milestones set by public health institutions.
Recently, a number of candidate immunogens based on either germline targeting or epitope focusing have
moved to Phase 1 clinical trials. These developments in HIV vaccinology have been immensely aided by
improved technology for the generation of humanized mouse models, which can be used in iterative
immunogen design, early stage down-selection, and other important components of vaccine development.
Among those improvements include the multiplexed CRISPR/Cas9 dual immunoglobulin heavy and light chain
knockins (KI) developed by the Batista lab. With this approach, mice with B cells bearing genuine human BCRs,
which can be produced in a matter of weeks. Here, the Batista lab proposes to use this approach and its
expertise in animal experiments to act as the Animal Model Core (AMC) for the Multi-Omics Vaccine Evaluation
(MOVE) Consortium. The AMC will develop up to six new KI lines based on MOVE's interrogation of the naïve
human B cell repertoire. The AMC will furthermore contribute its existing HIV models to immunization
experiments initiated by MOVE Project 1. Samples generated from murine lymph, spleen, and other tissues will
then be provided to MOVE Project 2 for immunocharacterization. The AMC will act as the fulcrum of prime and
boost stage immunogen, formulation, and regiment development and assessment.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10725052
- **Project number:** 1P01AI177683-01
- **Recipient organization:** SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, THE
- **Principal Investigator:** Facundo Damian Batista
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $260,700
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-06-01 → 2028-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10725052

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10725052, Scientific Core: Animal Models (1P01AI177683-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10725052. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*