Research
Reverse vaccinology
Traditional vaccine development strategies have failed to produce prophylactic vaccines against a number of diseases, such as Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Most vaccines licensed to date act by inducing B cells that produce protective antibodies, but the high diversity of some viruses complicates the induction of broadly active antibodies.
Reverse vaccinology starts with the screening of infected patients for antibodies with ideal properties. These rare so-called “broadly neutralizing antibodies” (bNAbs) are capable of inactivating most or all circulating viral variants. Information about the molecular characteristics of these bNAbs is then used to guide rational development of minimal immunogens capable of specifically and consistently inducing them by vaccination.
Ongoing research
Recent progress in rational protein design has given rise to the capability to develop proteins with precisely defined structures and functions. The Schiffner Lab combines computational modelling using the ROSETTA molecular modelling software suite with laboratory techniques such as directed evolution and high-throughput screening to rationally develop immunogens capable of inducing bNAbs against viruses such as Coronaviruses, Hepatitis C Virus and/or Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Immunogens are iteratively improved based on feedback from in vitro binding experiments and assembled into nanoparticles to improve immunogenicity.