Genomic Sieve Analysis in Vaccine Trials (IMAGE)

The U.S. Military HIV Research Program (MHRP)

Genomic Sieve Analysis in Vaccine Trials

Caption

Vaccines are based on a part of the virus, which grants specific immunity. This immunity is a kind of barrier to infection, represented by the shield here, but it may be an imperfect one. Viruses evolve, and accumulating changes (in darker shades of purple) may sufficiently modify the virus so that it is no longer recognized by the immune system, thereby metaphorically passing through the defenses created by the vaccine. By studying these "breakthrough" infections, and comparing them to the viruses that infected people given a placebo, researchers can identify the key viral changes that allowed the virus to breach the vaccine protection and lowered its efficacy. They can then adapt future iterations of the vaccine to help minimize this type of escape - effectively shoring up the protective barrier.

Credit

Bethany Dearlove/MHRP

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