[VACC Roster]

The HIV/AIDS Vaccines [VACC] Study Section is focused on the review of developmental activities for vaccines against HIV and related retroviruses.  Occasionally, applications for development of vaccines for AIDS-associated opportunistic infections may also be reviewed.  The area of "vaccinology research" is both broad and application-oriented as it relates to crosscutting issues encountered in the refinement and development of vaccines.  These include the design and development of effective immunogens, delivery and formulation approaches, methodologies to assess vaccine responses, and the assessment of safety and efficacy of candidate vaccines in animal models and human subjects.

Specific areas covered by VACC:

• Studies to modify and/or optimize HIV components [e.g. antigen[s], gene product[s]] as targets for vaccine development
• Impact of HIV polymorphism on vaccine design and development
• Studies of vector/vaccine expression of vaccine component[s] for stimulating/maximizing a protective immune response
• Studies on the improvement of methods for maximizing production of candidate vaccines or vaccine products 
• Development or optimization of vaccine delivery systems
• Use of adjuvants and other immunostimulatory approaches to augment or modify immune responses
• Development of new approaches to improve safety or immunogenicity of existing vaccines
• Development of new approaches to improve safety or immunogenicity of candidate vaccines
• Development of methods to assess functional measures of protective immune responses
• Evaluation of immune protection to challenge in appropriate animal models, including the improvement/retooling of animal models for vaccine testing
• Comparative studies of immune protection with different vaccine designs/candidates in animal/humans
• Evaluation of vaccine candidates in animal models for safety [including potential for immunopotentiation of disease], immunogenicity and protection
• Early (Phase I/II) clinical testing of candidate vaccines in human volunteers for all aspects of safety and/or efficacy.
• Evaluation of specificity, type, and duration of human immune responses to candidate vaccines.

VACC has the following shared Interests within the AARR IRG:

• Studies of discovery and design of viral vectors where an HIV/AIDS vaccine is not in development should be reviewed in AMCB and the appropriate virology Study Sections; other vector discovery should be reviewed in the appropriate microbiology Study Sections. Development and/or optimization of vectored vaccines are appropriate for the VACC Study Section.
  
  
• Studies of immune responses to HIV, antigen processing, and mechanisms of protective immunity may also be appropriate for AIP, while immunology of AIDS-associated opportunistic pathogens may be appropriate for AOIC.
  
  
• Epidemiological and large clinical trials of vaccine efficacy is appropriate for ACE, while vaccine acceptability studies are appropriate for BSPH.