# Duke Center for HIV Structural Biology

> **NIH NIH U54** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $5,412,818

## Abstract

Abstract – Overall
Approximately 40 million people worldwide are living with HIV/AIDS; however, a protective vaccine or
functional cure remain elusive despite four decades of intense research. HIV-1 evades the immune system
through its rapid structural evolution during infection and replication. The proposed Duke Center for HIV
Structural Biology will provide new insights into the dynamics of HIV-1 entry and fusion with the host
membrane, the Env-initiated immune activation of B-cell receptors, and the role of anti-Env antibodies in
blocking viral rebound. The Center will pursue structural studies that aim to 1) to develop a complete, time
resolved and atomically detailed mechanism of HIV-1 Env fusion; 2) to define BCR complex structures with
specificity of autologous (anAb) and broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAb); and 3) to achieve an atomic level
understanding of antibody-mediated control of rebound from latent HIV-1 reservoirs. The ultimate goal of these
studies is to advance structural biology techniques and knowledge of HIV-1 Env structure-derived disease
mechanisms in HIV-1 infection and rebound. Additionally, through its Developmental Core, the Center will
provide resources and training opportunities for early career investigators and trainees who are pursuing
careers in the field of HIV-1 structural biology.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10814847
- **Project number:** 5U54AI170752-03
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Priyamvada Acharya
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $5,412,818
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-06-14 → 2027-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10814847

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10814847, Duke Center for HIV Structural Biology (5U54AI170752-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10814847. Licensed CC0.

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