Project description
Enhancing delivery of RNA-based vaccines
Nucleic acid-based vaccines are emerging as more scalable and efficacious alternatives to conventional vaccines using recombinant proteins. Self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) is a new type of RNA vaccine with reportedly great immunogenicity that exploits the viral replicase enzyme to amplify itself. The scope of the EU-funded SNAP-Vax project is to facilitate the delivery of saRNA vaccines into the antigen-presenting cells of the immune system as a more targeted approach of vaccine deployment. Researchers will evaluate different polymer nanomaterials and track the intracellular fate of saRNA vaccines using imaging. Results are expected to advance the immunogenicity of nucleic acid-based vaccines.
Objective
"I aim to expand the broad clinical potential of self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) vaccines by crafting nanomaterial formulations that will target intracellular delivery of saRNA and molecular adjuvants to the key cells that mediate immunity. Both the devastating SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and annual flu seasons expose a significant need for more rapid development of effective vaccines. Nucleic acids such as self-amplifying messenger RNA (saRNA) are an exciting new class of subunit vaccine cargoes that promise to address the need for more adaptable, scalable, and more efficacious vaccines in comparison to those rooted in laboriously produced recombinant proteins. Although saRNA-based vaccine production offers a powerful platform to address these major issues with vaccine development, there is a huge need for innovative methods that can deliver nucleic acids across the body's many physiological barriers and generate protective immunity. This project seeks to apply the materials expertise of the applicant and the Stevens group (Imperial College London [ICL]) to the improved delivery and function of first generation saRNA vaccines that have been pioneered in the Shattock group (ICL). We hypothesize that polymer nanomaterial design can enable delivery of saRNA vaccine components to key cells responsible for generating adaptive immune responses and that this ""targeted"" saRNA vaccine delivery will lead to enhanced protective immunity compared to current vaccines. I will apply advanced polymerization techniques to tailor the delivery of saRNA to antigen presenting cells and to master cutting-edge imaging techniques to characterize the cellular response to targeted vaccine uptake (Raman, FIB-SEM). I will then collaborate with the Shattock lab to evaluate vaccine targeting in mice in vivo and in human skin explant models ex vivo, and complete a secondment at AstraZeneca that will provide invaluable insight into translational development of nanomaterials for nucleic acid delivery."
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules nucleic acids
- medical and health sciences health sciences public health epidemiology pandemics
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology
- medical and health sciences health sciences infectious diseases RNA viruses coronaviruses
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy pharmaceutical drugs vaccines
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
SW7 2AZ London
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.