Objective Vitamin A supplementation (VAS) and vaccines are the most powerful tools to reduce child mortality in low-income countries. However, we may not use these interventions optimally because we disregard that the interventions may have immunomodulatory effects which differ for boys and girls and which may interact with the effects of other interventions. I have proposed the hypothesis that VAS and vaccines interact. This hypothesis is supported by randomised and observational studies showing that the combination of VAS and DTP may be harmful. I have furthermore proposed that VAS has sex-differential effects. VAS seems beneficial for boys but may not carry any benefits for girls. These findings challenge the current understanding that VAS and vaccines have only targeted effects and can be given together without considering interactions. This is of outmost importance for policy makers. The global trend is to combine health interventions for logistic reasons. My research suggests that this may not always be a good idea. Furthermore, the concept of sex-differential response to our common health interventions opens up for a completely new understanding of the immunology of the two sexes and may imply that we need to treat the two sexes differently in order to treat them optimally possibly also in high-income countries. In the present proposal I outline a series of inter-disciplinary epidemiological and immunological studies, which will serve to determine the overall and sex-differential effects of VAS and vaccines, the mechanisms behind these effects, and the basis for the immunological difference between boys and girls. If my hypotheses are true we can use the existing tools in a more optimal way to reduce child mortality without increasing costs. Thus, the results could lead to shifts in policy as well as paradigms. Fields of science social sciencessociologydemographymortalitymedical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunologymedical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsvaccines Programme(s) FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) ERC-SG-LS7 - Applied life sciences, biotechnology and bioengineering: agricultural, animal, fishery, forestry/food sciences; biotechnology, chemical biology, genetic engineering, synthetic biology, industrial biosciences; environmental biotechnology. Call for proposal ERC-2009-StG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-SG - ERC Starting Grant Coordinator STATENS SERUM INSTITUT Address Artillerivej 5 2300 Kobenhavn s Denmark See on map Region Danmark Hovedstaden Byen København Activity type Research Organisations Principal investigator Christine Benn (Dr.) Administrative Contact Torben Theilmann (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window EU contribution No data Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all STATENS SERUM INSTITUT Denmark EU contribution € 1 686 043,00 Address Artillerivej 5 2300 Kobenhavn s See on map Region Danmark Hovedstaden Byen København Activity type Research Organisations Principal investigator Christine Benn (Dr.) Administrative Contact Torben Theilmann (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Other funding No data
