Objective
Research objectives and content
Infectious bronchitis virus is one of the most significant pathogens in the poultry industry and in spite of the use of vaccines, diseases caused by variant IBV strains continue to result in tremendous economic losses throughout the world. The objectives of the project are to use reverse genetics to produce antigenic and pathotypic variants of IBV to investigate the gene(s) involved in protective immunity and virulence. The ultimate aim is the ability to produce genetically modified vaccine strains capable of inducing immunological responses to protect against pathogenic variant IBVs. Reverse genetics, the ability to copy RNA genomes into DNA copies for manipulation and to regenerate infectious RNA genomes, has been a major breakthrough for the modification of RNA virus genomes to investigate gene(s) involved in virulence and immunogenicity. The size of the coronavirus genome (approx. 30 kb) has to date proved a major block on the development of a complete infectious copy. However, the observation that the coronavirus polymerase is able to generate recombinant RNAs and the isolation of replicating defective RNAs (D-RNAs) has allowed the production of recombinant viruses utilising DNA copies of the D-RNAs and targeted recombination using the modified DRNAs. Therefore the manipulation of D-RNAs and targeted recombination will be used to produce recombinant IBVs to investigate the gene(s) involved in virulence and immunogenicity.
Training content (objective, benefit and expected impact)
The project will provide training in the use reverse genetics to modify the IBV genome. This will involve the use of tissue culture and techniques in both molecular virology and biology. The benefit gained will be the use of reverse genetics to manipulate RNA viruses and the knowledge gained in understanding the role of genes(s) in the virulence of IBV. The expected impact will be the production of recombinant IBVs to understand the role of various genes in pathogenesis and immunogenicity with the ultimate aim of producing safe and effective vaccines for the poultry industry. Links with industry / industrial relevance (22)
This proposal has industrial relevance. The Compton group have a related Framework IV Biotechnology (Transdisease Vaccinology) project (number PL960064) which involves a Spanish pharmaceutical company (Laboratarios Sabrino, Gerona) who will advise on the exploitation of results.
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 microbiology virology
- medical and health sciences health sciences infectious diseases viral diseases RNA viruses coronaviruses
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy pharmaceutical drugs vaccines
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
You need to log in or register to use this function
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.
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.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Data not available
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
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.
Coordinator
RG20 7NN NEWBURY
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.