# Comprehensive molecular and functional analyses of anti-HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibody repertoires

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS LAWRENCE · 2020 · $192,025

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
We will develop a new approach for comprehensive antibody repertoire analysis that enables rapid functional
identification of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) from HIV-infected patients and vaccine recipients.
Available technologies for anti-HIV-1 antibody discovery rely on laborious single B cell cloning and antibody
expression, which provide limited antibody functional information are unable to characterize more than a few
hundred antibodies in a single sample. In this project, we will utilize a recently invented antibody yeast display
platform to immortalize natively paired heavy+light antibodies repertoires en masse and screen them for potent
antibodies targeting HIV-1 antigens. We will validate our techniques for screening immune repertoires by
discovering HIV bNAbs from clinical samples derived from the Center for AIDS Programme of Research in South
Africa (CAPRISA) longitudinal cohort. First, we will identify epitope-specific antibodies that target known HIV-1
vulnerable epitopes for rapid HIV-1 bNAb discovery. We will apply native antibody screening in yeast display to
annotate CAPRISA patient immune repertoires and identify the entire scope of antibodies targeting known bNAb
epitopes. Next, we will screen CAPRISA immune repertoires to determine the affinity of anti-HIV-1 antibodies
in the repertoire and to identify high-affinity broad antibodies as bNAb lead candidates. Finally, we will establish
a system that enables rapid antibody secretion and HIV-1 neutralization assays to accelerate the timeline for
molecular validation of bNAb lead candidates. Successful completion of this project will deliver a
comprehensive overview of anti-HIV-1 B cell responses in CAPRISA patient samples and discover new HIV
bNAbs for follow-up analysis. It is expected that future studies will leverage these technologies to
advance vaccine and therapeutic discovery against other infectious diseases. Our long-term objective is to
apply advanced antibody screening technologies to enhance understanding of anti-HIV B cell function and to
accelerate vaccine design against HIV-1 and other pathogens of major public health importance.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9832654
- **Project number:** 5R21AI143407-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS LAWRENCE
- **Principal Investigator:** Brandon James DeKosky
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $192,025
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-12-06 → 2022-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9832654

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9832654, Comprehensive molecular and functional analyses of anti-HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibody repertoires (5R21AI143407-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9832654. Licensed CC0.

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