Dr. Leonidas “Leo” Stamatatos and his team of researchers explore how antibody-producing B cells respond to infection and vaccination. Using diverse experimental approaches, the researchers also design and test ways to stimulate B cells into producing the antibodies deemed most likely to succeed against a chosen virus. Much of the work focuses on getting B cells to make antibodies that can provide sustained protection against HIV, which is adept at evading conventional vaccines through rapid genetic mutation. The group’s work encompasses the many stages in the development of candidate vaccines. These range from early, basic research on the structure of antibodies and their targets to detailed evaluation of the level of protection they provide to human volunteers in clinical trials.