VIDO Explores New Method for Identifying Molecules Capable of Improving Vaccine Effectiveness

Scientists with the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization are evaluating a new approach to identifying molecules capable of improving the effectiveness of vaccines. Immunogens are molecules, be they proteins, fats or sugars, found in harmful viruses or bacteria, that help the immune system recognize the pathogen and trigger an immune response to fight off those infections.

Researchers with the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization have developed a new high-throughput immunogen-screening method, using Streptococcus zooepidemicus as a model, to provide a more efficient way to identify immunogens that can be included in new vaccines. Haoming Liu, a fourth year PhD student with VIDO, explains it's these immunogens that help the immune system remember the threat.

Quote-Haoming Liu-Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization:

We search for molecules, specifically proteins in my case, that can trigger a strong immune response. Finding these immunogens is challenging because pathogens like bacteria can have over a thousand different proteins.Not all proteins trigger the same level of response.

Some cause weak reactions, while others are much stronger, so we need to identify the ones that cause the strongest immune response.It's also difficult to group all the proteins properly because the available technologies aren't sensitive enough to separate them with clear distinctions.There's often some protein overlap or spillover between the groups, making it difficult to sort them accurately.

This high-throughput immunogen-screening method will accelerate vaccine development for a wide range of viruses and bacteria.It provides scientists with a more efficient way to identify immunogens.Our goal is to make vaccine development faster, more cost-effective and accessible for both the vaccine factories and academic researchers.

Liu says, if this method works well, it will give researchers a more affordable way to identify immunogens.