Vaccine Response and Immunotherapeutics SWG

The Vaccine Response and Immunotherapeutics (VRI) Scientific Working Group was added to the CFAR in 2021 to foster research related to vaccines and other immunotherapeutics for people living with HIV (PLWH). HIV researchers at JHU recognize the importance of including PLWH in vaccine studies that both are and are not specific to HIV prevention and therapeutics. The immunosuppressive consequences of HIV on the effectiveness and durability of vaccine protection is not well characterized and is an important area of research. Clinical research evaluating the durability and cellular immune responses to childhood and other adult vaccines is critical to determining if current vaccine schedules and recommendations are appropriate for PLWH. This SWG will focus on HIV and non-HIV vaccines and immunotherapeutics for PLWH to promote vaccine science education, foster research interest in vaccines and immunotherapeutics among early- and mid-level faculty, and coordinate with other SWGs to achieve these goals.