Pump-Priming Project Awards - Round 11 Awardees

Assistant Professor Julia Strandmark

Assistant Professor
Medical Research Council The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
The Gambia

Collaborators:

Dr Nicole Moreland, Associate Professor, University of Auckland, New Zealand

Dr Tom Dartland, Senior Clinical Lecturer/UKRI Future Leaders Fellow, Honorary Consultant in Infectious Diseases, University of Sheffield, UK

Summary

Staphylococcus aureus is a common bacteria found on the skin and in the nose, with the potential to cause serious disease such as blood poisoning. Globally, S. aureus causes the highest number of deaths from bacteria- around 1 million deaths annually. Sub-Saharan Africa carries a particularly heavy burden and newborns are especially vulnerable.

An effective vaccine against S. aureus has the potential to significantly reduce mortality, but despite multiple attempts, this effort has proven exceptionally difficult. Though previous vaccine candidates have shown initial promise, they have failed to prevent disease, demonstrating that we do not understand enough about which part of the bacteria triggers a protective immune response and which antibodies are associated with preventing infection.

Another critical gap is the lack of reliable data on how many people—especially babies—carry S. aureus without symptoms. This is important because carriage is a major risk factor for later invasive disease. A vaccine that reduces carriage could therefore help prevent serious infections.

This study aims to address both these gaps: 1) our incomplete understanding of what makes up a good immune response and 2) the lack of data on how many infants carry S. aureus. We will track the presence of S. aureus in samples collected from 200 Gambian newborns from birth up to 5 months, using nasal swabs taken at multiple time points. At the same time, we will measure the entire breadth of antibodies against S. aureus, using blood samples collected during the same period.

Dr Ankur Mutreja

Director of External Affairs and Health Security
PATH
India

Collaborators:

Mr Robin Hiley, CEO/Artistic Director, Charades Theatre Company SCIO, UK

Summary

Antibiotics are losing their effectiveness at an alarming rate with a dry pipeline of new antibiotics rendering life-threatening infections potentially incurable. While cutting-edge science continues to improve the AMR landscape, and vaccines (including bacterial) exist, scientific solutions alone are not enough.

To bridge this gap, PATH, in collaboration with Charades Theatre Company, championed by the Office of Dame Sally Davies and the British High Commission in India, proposes to pilot a locally adapted version of LIFELINE, an internationally acclaimed musical theatre production, excerpts of which were performed at both the 2024 UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting and the 2025 GAMRIF Summit. LIFELINE tells the history of Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin, alongside a modern- day experience of a patient and junior doctor battling a drug-resistant infection. Blending arts and science, it inspires public action on AMR. This innovative, storytelling approach, using memorable stories and songs, will be adapted for India, which faces a high bacterial infection and AMR burden.

The concert performance will showcase LIFELINE to local stakeholders to garner support for a future multi-city tour of India with the full production. The performance will be accompanied by a pre- and post-performance evaluation and interviews, to understand the changes in knowledge, perception, and commitment among the audience.

The pilot will engage cross-sector stakeholders, including public health experts, health care providers, philanthropists, researchers, artists, policymakers, and media. Through this LMIC-led collaboration, LIFELINE India will advance BactiVac's mission by building partnerships, generating engagement data, strengthening advocacy, funding for AMR, and creating a replicable model for other Global South countries.

Dr Björn Schimmöller

CEO
Iuvantium Limited
UK

Collaborators:

Professor Rachel McLoughlin, Professor in Immunology, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland

Summary

Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is a gram-positive bacterium responsible for a significant global health burden, both in mortality, causing >1M deaths annually, and morbidity. The rapid rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), in SA manifested as resistance against methicillin, has severely limited available treatment options, leading to significantly higher frequencies of complications during hospitalizations of patients for e.g. cancer treatment or even routine surgeries. Despite many vaccine attempts, none have succeeded due to the bacterium’s comprehensive immune evasion strategies, complex host interactions and lack of effective adjuvants.

iuvantium is developing a pioneering precision vaccine approach using a novel inorganic modality based on layered double hydroxides (LDH). This adjuvant platform allows the rational design of inorganic particles to precisely stimulate protective immune responses for specific target diseases, specifically Th1/Th17 driven cellular immunity to fight bacterial pathogens.

For this project iuvantium is establishing a new BactiVac partnership with Prof Rachel McLaughlin from Trinity College Dublin. Jointly we will evaluate the adjuvant potential of the LDH platform combined with relevant SA protein antigens, focusing on compounds that modulate Th17 and Th1/Th17 pathways which are critical aspects of the host immune responses required to protect against SA, both systemically and for skin and soft tissue SA infections.

Dr Boon Chuan Lim

CEO/CTO
Spectre Bio Limited (SB)
UK

Collaborators:

Professor Soman N. Abraham, Professor in Pathology, Duke University, USA

Summary

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a major global health burden, with an estimated 440 million cases annually worldwide. UTIs disproportionately affect women (79%) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs, 71%), where healthcare access and second-line antibiotics are limited. Uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) causes >80% of UTIs, with recurrent infections severely impacting quality of life and accounting for >15% of all antibiotic prescriptions globally, exacerbating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis. Invasive cases (e.g., bloodstream infections) root from UTI can reach mortality rates up to 40%.

Despite this burden, no approved UTI vaccines exist. Recent failures from Sanofi’s ExPEC9V O-antigen conjugate vaccine and underwhelming early phase results from protein conjugate candidates highlight the limitations of existing modalities, likely due to poor antigenicity at the mucosal surface or significant antigenic variability among UPEC. This calls for a new vaccine modality with novel mechanisms of action to address current hurdle.

In this project, we propose developing a UTI vaccine prototype using Bacteria-Like Particles (BLiPs) derived from UPEC. Inspired by viral-like particle technology, BLiPs are genetically inactivated cells that retain the native surface immunogenicity of intact bacteria while eliminating infection risks, enabling broad and durable immune protection without replicative potential. BLiPs, by retaining native bacterial components also exhibit self-adjuvanting properties, enhancing immune responses. Beyond clinical benefits, UPEC-BLiPs aim to reduce antibiotic reliance and slow environmental AMR spread, particularly in LMICs where UTI burden and resistance rates are the highest.

Dr Caryn Fenner

Director of mRNA Hub
Afrigen Biologics
South Africa

Collaborators:

Dr Sanjay Ram, Professor of Medicine, Umass Chan Medical School, USA

Dr Adam Ritchie, Senior Vaccinologist, Jenner Instititute, University of Oxford, UK

Summary

Antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a growing global threat, especially in LMICs, where limited resources hinder diagnosis and treatment. Resistance to key antibiotics like azithromycin and ceftriaxone jeopardizes current therapies. Untreated gonorrhoea can cause severe reproductive health issues and heighten HIV risk. Despite its impact, no commercial vaccine exists to prevent gonorrhoea infections. This proposal aims to develop an mRNA-LNP gonorrhoea vaccine using Afrigen’s mRNA platform. Through collaboration with Evaxion (Denmark) and their proprietary AI platform (EDEN^TM), four protective B-cell antigens from the Neisseria gonorrhoeae proteome were encoded into mRNA and encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles to produce four mRNA-LNP vaccine candidates. All four candidates were tested in mice, and showed strong immunogenicity and serum bactericidal activity, demonstrating a novel, promising approach to reducing antibiotic reliance.

Further to the mRNA vaccine candidate, a recombinant protein-based vaccine, EVX-B2 formulated with the adjuvant GLA-SE, was developed and demonstrated immunogenicity in the same mouse model. The proposal is to further undertake preclinical development of the down selected mRNA and protein vaccine candidates by demonstrating protective efficacy through a female mouse genital tract challenge model.

Dr Iain MacArthur

Assistant Professor
Northumbria University
UK

Collaborators:

Dr Monica Gestal, Assistant Professor, Louisiana State University, USA

Summary

Whooping cough (Pertussis) is a severe disease that primarily affects infants. It is caused by Bordetella pertussis. Despite vaccine availability, worldwide cases and deaths remain high. In 2024, England recorded 14,727 cases, including 196 in infants under one year, with 10 deaths (UKHSA).

B. pertussis only infects humans and does not survive in the environment, making it a suitable target for eradication by vaccination. The current vaccine formulation while effective at reducing severe illness, does not stop the bacteria from colonising the nasal cavity, allowing for constant circulation within populations and not reducing spread. As a result, adults and adolescents, whose immunity wane over time, carry and spread the bacterium without showing symptoms, thus increasing the risk of infecting infants, who have not been fully vaccinated.

To eliminate whooping cough, we need vaccines that trigger robust and long-lasting immune responses which not only reduce infection but also transmission.

We have identified two new proteins, that play a critical role in bacterial attachment to the host cells. We have demonstrated, using the murine model, that these proteins trigger protective immune responses and prevent colonization of nasal cavity, providing very promising candidates for inclusion in the current formulations.

This project will characterise the immune response to these proteins in mice vaccinated with the current pertussis vaccine supplemented with these two novel proteins. This proposal aims to identify novel proteins for use in the next-generation of pertussis vaccines that prevent colonisation and transmission, therefore eliminating the reservoir preventing infection in the population.

Dr Ilaria Onofrio

Post-Doctoral Scientist
University of Oxford
UK

Collaborators:

Professor Scott Gray-Owen, University of Toronto, Canada

Dr Roland Ventura, Senior Advisor, Vaccine Formulation Institute, Switzerland

Professor Christine Rollier, University of Surrey, UK

Dr Seanette Wilson, Senior Project Manager, Biovac, South Africa

Summary

Gonorrhoea is a major global health concern, with over 84 million new infections globally each year, disproportionately affecting women and populations in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Increasing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in gonorrhoea means that untreatable infection is a real threat and a gonorrhoea vaccine is urgently needed. Recent data showing that serogroup B meningitis vaccines including 4CMenB can provide modest protection against gonorrhoea have reinvigorated the field of gonorrhoea vaccine development and work is ongoing to understand how these vaccines work.

At the Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, (UOXF) we have developed GonoVac, a new native outer membrane vesicle (nOMV) vaccine against gonorrhoea. Studies have shown that mice vaccinated with GonoVac combined with the adjuvant aluminium hydroxide (Al(OH)₃) can clear gonorrhoea infection quicker than those vaccinated with 4CMenB. We hypothesise that combining GonoVac with modern adjuvants will improve the quality and quantity of the immune response induced by GonoVac, and in turn how well it works.

In this project we will evaluate immune response induced by GonoVac in mice when administered with several promising adjuvants supplied by the Vaccine Formulation Institute. We will assess if mice vaccinated with GonoVac combined with VFI adjuvants clear gonorrhoea infection quicker than those vaccinated with our leading formulation, GonoVac/Al(OH)₃. This work is important to ensure that the formulation of GonoVac with the greatest likelihood of success is taken forward into clinical trials.

Dr Jon Cuccui

CEO
ArkVax Limited
UK

Collaborators:

Mr Jonathan Jones, Manager - Microbial Upstream, Centre for Process Innovation, UK

Summary

ArkVax is a company developing vaccine candidates against infections in animals caused by bacteria.  The vaccines being developed rely on the fact that most disease-causing bacteria are coated in complex sugar structures, often called capsules, which human vaccinology have demonstrated, can be excellent vaccine components to help train the host immune system. However, to do this in a cost-effective manner, essential in livestock vaccinology, ArkVax has taken an approach to genetically program safe bacterial cells to make the vaccine inside of themselves. ArkVax’s lead candidate vaccine targets a bacterium called Streptococcus suis. This bacterium is capable of causing severe disease in pigs but also in those humans in come into close contact with these animals or consume raw meat products. This especially true in countries such as Vietnam where S. suis is a major cause of community acquired meningitis. The next step in this vaccine development, is to demonstrate that it can be scaled. This collaboration will enable ArkVax to work alongside the team at the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) to test various growth conditions to ensure the maximum amount of vaccine can be generated. The target is to identify the best conditions to grow ArkVax’s vaccine strain and provide important information regarding how many vaccine doses could be produced by a manufacturer.

Dr Junaid Iqbal

Assistant Professor
Aga Khan University
Pakistan

Collaborators:

Dr Farah Naz Qamar, The Kamruddin Mohamed Jessani Endowed Professor, Aga Khan University, Pakistan

Dr Tahir Yousafzai, Assistant Professor (Research), Aga Khan University, Pakistan

Dr Megan Carey, Research Fellow, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK

Summary 

Typhoid fever remains highly prevalent in Pakistan, spreading through contaminated food and water. In 2019, Pakistan became the first country to introduce typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) into its routine immunization program following an XDR typhoid outbreak in Sindh. Although TCV has reduced the disease burden, recent reports of breakthrough infections raise concerns about vaccine effectiveness and possible genetic changes in S. Typhi.

This project aims to identify underlying molecular mechanisms behind these breakthrough infections and to understand why some children do not develop adequate protection following vaccination. To investigate it further, archived serum samples, from a previously published TCV immunogenicity study, will be used to develop pooled control sera from vaccinated individuals. We will recruit TCV vaccinated children who later developed culture-confirmed typhoid fever (breakthrough cases) and their S. Typhi strains will be collected to:

1. Assess anti-Vi polysaccharide antibody titers in pooled sera of vaccinated controls through ELISA, using Vi antigens derived from breakthrough S. Typhi strains, pre-TCV era H58 isolates and reference Ty2 strain.
2. Evaluate the functional capacity of antibodies in pooled control sera through opsonophagocytic and serum bactericidal assay.
3. Genomic sequencing of S. Typhi strains from breakthrough cases to ascertain whether genetic changes particularly in Vi capsular polysaccharide contribute to immune evasion.

We seek to know whether breakthrough infections are primarily due to variability in host immune response or pathogen adaptation. Our findings will help improve vaccine design and deployment strategies and aid in reducing typhoid burden in Pakistan and our endemic countries.

Dr Maria Alriksson

CEO
Abera Bioscience AB
Sweden

Collaborators:

Dr Khaled Alzahabi, Formulation Specialist, Nanopharm Ltd, UK

Professor Marien de Jonge, Professor and Head of Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Radboud University Nijmegen and Radboud University Medical College, Netherlands

Summary

Pneumococcal infections remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially among children and elderly. Abera Bioscience is developing a novel, universal pneumococcal vaccine (Ab-01.12) using its OMV-based BERA platform. Unlike traditional vaccines, Ab-01.12 is administered nasally and targets all known serotypes through conserved antigens, generating both mucosal and systemic immune responses.

To enable efficient nasal delivery, Abera aims to use Aptar's LuerVax spray device in the planned Phase 1 clinical trial. This project will verify the compatibility of Ab-01.12 with the spray device, ensuring consistent dose delivery and optimal distribution.

Dr Sherif Abouelhadid

Assistant Professor
Nile University
Egypt

Collaborators:

Professor Brendan Wren, Professor of Microbial Pathogenesis, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK

Professor Rob Field, Pro-Vice Chancellor, University of East Anglia, UK

Professor Robert J Woods, Distinguished Research Professor, University of Georgia, USA

Summary

The significant rise in antimicrobial resistance among Shigella species underscores the dire need for developing novel vaccines. The two bacterial species, S. flexneri and S. sonnei, account for 90% of bacterial dysentery cases, leading to 10% of deaths due to diarrheal diseases globally.  Conjugate vaccines are safe and efficacious. Bioconjugate vaccines, produced by the oligosaccharyltransferase, PglB, an enzyme that can couple a polysaccharide to a carrier protein, have advanced conjugate vaccine production. It is based on transforming a safe bacterium such as Escherichia coli into a vaccine microfactory, addressing the limitations in chemical conjugation platforms. Although proven successful by developing multiple vaccines, the technology suffers from a limitation that impedes its widespread use. The PglB enzyme cannot recognise some polysaccharides of deadly pathogens, including S. sonnei. This represents a critical exploratory-to-pre-clinical translational bottleneck in vaccine development. To overcome this limitation, we propose employing structure-guided enzyme engineering techniques to tailor a PglB enzyme that can recognise S. sonnei polysaccharide and accelerate vaccine development. Our preliminary results identify amino acids that, when modified, PglB recognises the S. sonnei polysaccharide, albeit with low efficiency, leading to a low vaccine yield. This grant aims to establish new partnerships between the UK partners and Egypt to further tailor PglB variants with improved efficiency to increase the vaccine yield, perform glycoconjugate vaccine analysis, and reduce the cost of vaccine production. The proposed research project will pave the way for more substantial funding and address the knowledge gap in how to improve a central vaccine-producing enzyme.

Dr Warangkhana Songsungthong

Senior Researcher
National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA)
Thailand

Collaborators:

Prof Saul Purton, Professor, University College London, UK

Dr Suparat Taengchaiyaphum, Senior Researcher, National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Thailand

Dr Kallaya Sritunyalucksana-Dangtip, Research Fellow, National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Thailand

Dr Ha Thanh Dong, Associate Professor, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand

Mr Nguyen Tien Vinh, PhD student, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand

Summary

The overuse and misuse of antibiotics to combat bacterial infections in aquaculture have led to the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), posing a serious threat to both animal and human health. Pathogenic Vibrio species, including V. parahaemolyticus, V. harveyi, V. alginolyticus, and V. vulnificus, cause significant economic losses in aquaculture through diseases like Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND), white feces syndrome, and Vibriosis. These bacteria can infect humans, leading to illnesses ranging from food poisoning to life-threatening septicemia. To reduce reliance on antibiotics, vaccines and immune enhancers are promising alternatives. However, current inactivated whole-cell vaccines, which provide targeted protection against specific pathogens, may not confer a broad coverage for various Vibrio species and strains. Additionally, cost-effective and sustainable vaccine delivery methods are needed to encourage widespread adoption in aquaculture.

To address these barriers, we propose a novel approach of utilizing "universal Vibrio antigens"—highly conserved proteins shared across pathogenic Vibrio species—to develop broad-spectrum vaccines. We will then employ an edible microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to express these antigens. The resulting transgenic and marker-free microalgae, now called AlgaeVax, can be mixed with pellet feed to administer to aquatic animals as an oral vaccine. This strategy aims to provide effective, affordable, and scalable disease prevention while reducing the risk of AMR in aquaculture.

Dr Young Kim

Sir Henry Wellcome Fellow and Principal Investigator
University of Oxford
UK

Collaborators:

Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, Director of Oxford Vaccine Group, University of Oxford, UK

Professor Daniel O'Connor, Head of Bioinformatics, Associate Professor, University of Oxford, UK

Dr Simon Clark, Scientific Leader, Vaccine Development Evaluation Agency, UKHSA, UK

Professor Sue Ann Clemens, Independent researcher, Brazil

Professor Yongqun Oliver He, Professor, University of Michigan, USA

Summary

Q fever is a disease caused by a highly infectious bacterium, Coxiella burnetii, which is recognised by the UK Government, CDC, and WHO as a potential outbreak and bioterrorism threat. The infection can cause both short-term and long-term illness, sometimes with serious complications, especially during pregnancy. Chronic Q fever is difficult to treat and can relapse even after extended antibiotic use. The disease occurs worldwide but is often under-reported, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Researchers at the Oxford Vaccine Group are developing new vaccines to prevent Q fever. Building on previous studies with adenovirus and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) vaccines, Prof Sir Andrew Pollard and Dr Young Kim are leading the development of a novel glycoconjugate vaccine funded by Innovate UK.

As part of this BactiVac project, the team will create and test mRNA vaccines for Q fever in mice, comparing them with existing vaccine candidates. If successful, this work could pave the way for clinical trials and represent an important step towards global control of Q fever.

Ms Mutinta Muchimba

Research Fellow
Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia
Zambia

Collaborators:

Dr Esther Ndungo, Research Associate, Center for Vaccine Development, University of Maryland School of Medicine, USA

Professor Abigail Clements, Associate Professor, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, UK

Summary

Shigella is among the top causes of severe diarrhoea and death among children under five, responsible for up to one-third of diarrhoeal deaths worldwide. In Zambia, it is the second leading cause of severe diarrhoea in this age group. While vaccine development is underway, there is an urgent need to understand how the gut microbiome and the immune system interact, thereby influencing a child’s risk of Shigella infection and disease severity.

This project will explore how the gut bacteria and mucosal immune responses, particularly antibody production, shape the course of Shigella infection. We postulate that Shigella disrupts the normal development of healthy gut bacteria, and that children with stronger mucosal antibody responses, especially those producing antibodies like IgA and IgG, may be better protected.

To investigate this, we will analyse stored stool samples from a well-characterised group of Zambian children under five using advanced metagenomic sequencing. This will allow us to detect patterns in gut bacteria, identify antibiotic resistance genes (the resistome), and observe other biological changes associated with Shigella infection. We will also measure antibodies in the stool that target Shigella proteins to better understand how immune responses affect infection risk and recovery.

By combining microbiome data, immune markers, and clinical information, we hope to identify biological features that help predict which children are at greater risk. These findings could support the development of more effective prevention tools, including microbiome-based therapies and improved vaccines, to reduce the burden of Shigella in Zambia and similar settings.

Professor Daniela Hozbor

Senior Researcher
Instituto de Biotecnologia y Biologia Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas
Universidad Nacional de La Plata & CONICET
Argentina

Collaborators:

Dr Andres Wigdorovitz, INCUNTA Director; Principal Researcher CONICET, INVIT; CICVYA INTA, Argentina

Professor Andrew Gorringe, Scientific Leader, Vaccine Development and Evaluation Centre, UK Health Security Agency, UK

Dr Breeze Cavell, Project Leader, Vaccine Development and Evaluation Centre, UK Health Security Agency, UK

Summary

Pertussis resurgence and the urgent need for improved vaccines led our team to develop a robust platform for producing and characterizing outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) from Bordetella pertussis. These nano-sized vesicles have shown strong immunogenicity, safety, and provide protection in preclinical-models. Our results are published and patented in the US and Brazil.

While OMVs were initially overlooked in vaccinology, recent evidence—including from our group—has highlighted their value not only as self-adjuvants but also as potent immunomodulators. Specifically, Bordetella OMVs induce Th1, Th17, and lung-resident memory T-cell responses—immune profiles underrepresented in the responses to current acellular pertussis (aP) vaccines, yet critical for durable protection and reduced transmission.

Building on our recent work, this project proposes to advance with a novel combined vaccine integrating OMVs with aP formulation. The goal is to synergize their effects, enhancing protection while addressing key limitations of current-vaccines. This formulation also allows for efficient non-inferiority trial designs, facilitating clinical translation.

In parallel, the project addresses a major veterinary health challenge: neonatal calf diarrhea, a widespread and economically significant complex disease. We will work in collaboration with INCUINTA, IABIMO & Pathobiology institutes from INTA, leveraging their extensive expertise in veterinary vaccinology, to develop OMV-based prototypes using a recombinant chimeric antigen. Immunogenicity and/or protection will be tested in mice, guinea pigs, and neonatal calves. Upon proof-of-concept, the veterinary candidate will be transferred to VETANCO&BIOINNOVO, a regional industry leader, ensuring a clear path to scale-up and commercialization. The project supports BactiVac’s mission through strong UK–LMIC scientific collaboration and real-world impact.

Professor David Roper

Professor of Biochemistry
University of Warwick
UK

Collaborators:

Professor Aras Kadioglu, Professor of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Head of Department, University of Liverpool, UK

Dr Jeff Cheng, Research Fellow, University of Warwick, UK

Dr Nicholas Briggs, Research Fellow, University of Warwick, UK

Summary

Streptococcus pneumoniae causes over half a billion infections worldwide and is the leading cause of bacterial death in children under 5 years old, also infecting the elderly and immunocompromised individuals, totalling half a million deaths per year world-wide.

The identification of over 100 pneumococcal serotypes complicates vaccine efficacy as existing vaccines (PCV13 and PPSV23 and the more recent PCV15 and PCV20) only cover up to 30% of all known strains. Whilst PCV vaccines protect against many serotypes, significant gaps remain, mainly due to limited serotype coverage and serotype replacement disease, reducing overall effectiveness over time. Hence, the holy grail has been to find a vaccine which can offer cross-serotype protection.

To this end, we have identified a highly conserved protein required for streptococcal cell growth. Antisera have been successfully generated against this protein and shown to provide protection against pneumococcal infection using a waxworm model. To further enhance immunogenicity of our protein, we will attach our protein to a scaffold (ferritin), which forms a super-structure with other monomers to elicit stronger protection and better lymphatic retention. In this application, we wish to determine the protective efficacy of our candidate antigen in clinically relevant mouse models of invasive pneumonia and sepsis.

Professor William Horsnell

Professor
University of Exeter
UK

Collaborators:

Dr Alisha Chetty, MRC Africa Leader Research Fellow, University of Cape Town, South Africa

Professor Adam Cunningham, Professor, University of Birmingham, UK

Summary

Maternal and early life vaccination protects young children from life threatening infections. However, the make-up of the antibodies providing this protection often has reduced ability to recognise the carbohydrate (CHO) components of bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella Typhimurium (STm)—a major cause of LMIC illness and death. Additionally, infants launch impaired responses to CHO antigen. Our project explores an innovative solution to this where maternal vaccination helps newborns generate their own effective immune responses against CHO antigens.

In preliminary experiments we vaccinated murine mothers with specific bacterial components. We discovered that their unvaccinated offspring produced their own antibodies against these components. These offspring also controlled infection and had more mature antibody producing B cells. This suggests offspring can produce antibody against a pathogen only their mother has experienced.