# InvVax's Year in Review: Pioneering Partnerships, Innovative Research, and Grant Triumphs in 2023 | InvVax

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- Published at: 2024-01-09 19:06:36 UTC
- Updated at: 2025-07-17 11:31:26 UTC

## Author
Arthur Young

## Subject
InvVax

## Content
Hello Everyone,As we step into a new year, I want to share a personal reflection on the significant milestones and progress we've made at InvVax in 2023. It's been a year of growth, discovery, and collaboration, and I'm proud to recount these highlights with you.Firstly, we welcomed Nima Shiva, MBA, as our new Head of Business Development. Nima's impressive background, with a Bachelor’s in Neuroscience and Physiology from the University of California, San Diego, and an MBA from the Marshall School at the University of Southern California, has been instrumental. His previous roles, including Research Scientist and Managing Director at various prestigious institutions, have equipped him well to lead our outreach efforts. Nima has been diligently working to forge partnerships for our flagship influenza product and other disease indications we're exploring.We also brought on board Justin Do, MS, as a new Research Associate. Justin, an alumnus of the University of California, San Diego, and Drexel University, has been dedicating his expertise full-time to our antibody prophylactic and Hepatitis B virus projects. His contributions are invaluable as we push the boundaries of our research.A significant achievement this year was receiving a $400,000 grant from Duke University CIVICs. This support enables us to test our vaccine epitopes in an mRNA format and explore synergies with the current seasonal flu offerings. It's an exciting development that propels our research forward.As we close out our National Science Foundation Phase I SBIR work, we're gearing up for the Phase II application. Our ambitious project aims to design a highly stable antibody for preventing various infectious diseases. The potential global impact is immense, and we're proposing an HIV prophylactic as our beachhead project for Phase II.Our basic research on Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is progressing well. We've achieved significant knockdown of HBV in cells and are now focusing on enhancing this effect with our proprietary enzyme mix. Additionally, we're profiling the HBV genome to ensure our CRISPR/Cas therapy remains effective against viral mutations.Lastly, we've secured funding for our Hepatitis C virus research. Our NIAID Phase I SBIR for genomic profiling of HCV toward a first-ever HCV vaccine received a fundable grant score. We're optimistic about the developments and inclusion of our grant in the NIAID payline.As I reflect on these accomplishments, I'm filled with gratitude for our dedicated team and the collaborative spirit within the scientific community. Here's to a year of hard work, discovery, and progress. I'm excited for what the future holds for InvVax and the impact we'll continue to make in the world of scientific research and public health.Best regards,Arthur Young