University of North Carolina - Chlamydia Vaccine Initiative (UNC-CVI)

The U19 Sexually Transmitted Infections Cooperative Research Center (STI CRC), “University of North
Carolina - Chlamydia Vaccine Initiative (UNC-CVI)” brings together a synergistic multidisciplinary group of
project leaders/principal investigators (PI) with clinical and basic research expertise in STI research and a
history of effective collaboration, to support a vaccine development pipeline comprising vaccine antigen
assessment, vaccine testing in animal models, and identification of human correlates of efficacy. The UNC-CVI
STI CRC will accomplish our goal through three projects. Project 1, Human Responses to Candidate
Chlamydial Antigens (Darville, Goonetilleke, Co-PIs) will exploit responses of women highly exposed to CT to
identify candidate vaccine antigens through profiling of CD4 and CD8 responses. Project 2, Chlamydial
Vaccine Testing in Mice and Guinea Pigs (Beagley and Goonetilleke, Co-PIs) will explore the efficacy of two
leading T cell vaccine modalities already proven safe and effective in humans, as a route to establishing lasting
immunity to chlamydial challenge in mice and guinea pigs. We have enlisted collaborative experts at The
Jenner Institute who will advise and generate replication-incompetent viral vectors expressing chlamydial
immunogens for use in a heterologous prime-boost strategy, and experts at BlueWillow Biologics who will
advise and manufacture recombinant chlamydial immunogens in nanoemulsion, Nanovax for use as
intranasal vaccines. Finally, Project 3, Biomarkers of Chlamydial Susceptibility and Disease (O’Connell
and Zheng, Co-PIs) addresses a critical need for biomarkers to accelerate rational vaccine design and testing,
by supporting identification of individuals most likely to benefit from immunization, enabling balanced group
recruitment for vaccine trials and serving as surrogate endpoints. These projects will be supported by an
Administrative Core and a Clinical Core. The Administrative Core will serve as the Center’s communications
hub and will provide administrative and scientific oversight of Center functions, including a Developmental
Research Program (DRP) that will foster new investigators in STI vaccine research, and a Biostatistical
Support Group that will serve all projects and DRP awardees. The Clinical Core will identify and enroll women
with or at-risk for STI and collect clinical specimens required to complete the projects. These investigators,
projects and cores represent a unique combination of skills and experience to address a significant public
health problem. Upon completion of this program, we anticipate having identified novel chlamydial vaccines
with a highly feasible path to clinical testing and licensure.