Project: Association of early immune responses with virological control in acute /early and following HIV-1 infection

Acronym	KILGORIS (Reference Number: TMA2018CDF-2366)
Duration	01/11/2019 - 31/10/2022
Project Topic	Natural immune responses are able to control viral replication from peak viremia to viral set point in acute HIV-1 infection. However, these natural immune responses have not been fully characterised. In the proposed study, we will characterise the CD8 T cell phenotypes, before peak viremia, at peak viremia, at set point and post set point from blood and lymph nodes. We will also investigate the cell death pathways associated with the death of CD8 T cells from peak viremia to set point. We will compare the ability of the different CD8 T cell phenotypes to inhibit HIV-1 replication in a viral inhibition assay and identify the most potent phenotypes of CD8 T cells at controlling HIV-1 infection. Immune correlates of protection from HIV acquisition and progression to AIDS are not known, neither are the phenotypes of cells needed to be induced by HIV vaccines to confer protection. This study will attempt to delineate the different T cell phenotypes including lymph node resident memory T cells and their ability to inhibit viral replication. Defining the precise correlates of the cellular immune response to HIV-1 that are associated with control of HIV-1 replication in acute infection has been the focus of intense study over the past two decades. The identification of such correlates has been pursued as part of a rational strategy to produce an HIV-1 vaccine capable of best mimicking the cellular immune response associated with control of HIV-1 viremia. Once defined, such correlates will also help establish the necessary benchmarks for candidate vaccine down selection and efficacy testing.
Network	EDCTP2
Call	Career Development Fellowships 2018

Project partner

Number	Name	Role	Country
1	Uganda National Health Research Organisation	Coordinator	Uganda