# Immunomodulatory Effects of Heterochiral Biomaterials

> **NIH NIH R01** · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $352,619

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
A major limiting factor to the development of successful subunit vaccines against emerging pathogens is the
lack of effective and safe immune adjuvants. Biomaterials immunoengineering is a nascent field that is
generating promising avenues for the development of subunit vaccines against infectious diseases, cancers,
and autoimmune disorders. Peptide based biomaterials are attractive due to their biocompatibility, ability to fold
into specific structures, ease of synthesis, and the rich chemistry with which the primary sequence can be
manipulated to control the immunomodulatory properties. We are interested in the development of self-
assembling peptide biomaterials for applications in vaccine development and immunotherapies.
In the current project, we will develop novel self-assembling heterochiral peptide biomaterials that engage
mechanisms of autophagy for applications in vaccine development against mosquito-borne flaviviruses such as
West Nile (WNV). In aim 1, we will synthesize peptides with various patterns of chiral amino acids and
investigate the assembly, morphology, structure, and bulk material properties such as viscoelasticity and
proteolytic stability. In Aim 2, we will investigate how chirality-induced changes in the physicochemical
properties of peptide biomaterials impact mechanisms of autophagy, adjuvant potency, and antibody
responses using model antigens or peptide and protein antigens derived from WNV. We will deliver antigenic
peptides or protein domains from viruses via covalent linkage or shear-thinned with peptide hydrogels and
investigate antibody responses, affinity, and neutralization capacity. In aim 3, we will test protection from WNV
challenge and neuroinvasion in mouse models and assess translational capacity of peptide biomaterials using
Japanese encephalitis antigens for which inactivated human vaccines are available to serve as controls.
Completion of the proposed work will integrate the fields of biomaterials, chemistry, immunology, and virology
for the development of biomaterials-based immunization platforms against not only WNV, but also other
emerging flaviviruses of public health importance.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9815954
- **Project number:** 5R01AI130278-04
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Jai Rudra
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $352,619
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-02-20 → 2022-10-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9815954

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9815954, Immunomodulatory Effects of Heterochiral Biomaterials (5R01AI130278-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9815954. Licensed CC0.

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