Project description DEENESFRITPL Discovering effective vaccine against human schistosome infection Neglected tropical schistosomiasis affects millions of people, causing 300 000 deaths in Africa alone. The cure with schistosomicidal drugs is complicated by reinfection after exposure to contaminated water. While partial natural immunity only develops after decades of infection, the vaccine is not available. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the ReCHISVac project aims to create an effective vaccine against human schistosomiasis. The study will use unique samples from controlled repeat Schistosoma mansoni infection models to identify novel antigens and protective cellular and cytokine responses. These data will be verified in comparative analysis to samples from naturally infected individuals. The identified antigens will be utilised in a preclinical development plan for translation into new treatment against schistosomiasis. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease afflicting over 200 million people and causing 300,000 deaths in Africa alone. Whilst infections can be cleared with schistosomocidal drugs, individuals will become rapidly re-infected upon exposure to contaminated water. Partial immunity only develops naturally only after decades of constant infection, and there is no vaccine. Previous schistosome vaccine studies have been flawed, due to a lack of understanding of what constitutes a protective immune response, focus on single antigen targets, and a lack of pharmaceutical industry support or expertise for development.Here, I propose to use unique samples from repeat Schistosoma mansoni controlled human infection (Sm-CHI) models to reveal novel antigens and corresponding cellular and cytokine responses that are protective against schistosomiasis. To evaluate how well this protective signature will translate to endemic countries, matched analyses will be performed in samples from naturally schistosome infected Ugandan individuals. Antigen-specific antibody and cellular immunology data will be combined utilising bioinformatic tools to reveal a signature of multiple antigens and immune responses associated with protection from schistosomiasis. Next, in a non-academic placement at Janssen Vaccines, I will express previously identified antigens, and develop a pre-clinical development plan to translate the identified protective immune signature into an effective vaccine against human schistosomiasis. This fellowship will form the basis of my future career development, to become an independent researcher in the field of schistosome vaccinology. Fields of science medical and health scienceshealth sciencestropical medicinemedical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunologymedical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsvaccines Programme(s) HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme Topic(s) HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01-01 - MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2021 Call for proposal HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme HORIZON-AG-UN - HORIZON Unit Grant Coordinator ACADEMISCH ZIEKENHUIS LEIDEN Net EU contribution € 234 530,40 Address Albinusdreef 2 2333 ZA Leiden Netherlands See on map Region West-Nederland Zuid-Holland Agglomeratie Leiden en Bollenstreek Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window EU contribution No data Partners (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all JANSSEN VACCINES & PREVENTION BV Netherlands Net EU contribution € 0,00 Address Archimedesweg 4 2333 CN Leiden See on map Region West-Nederland Zuid-Holland Agglomeratie Leiden en Bollenstreek Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding No data
