VALIDATE is very happy to share videos of our two latest seminars which can now be watched on YouTube. Please watch, share, comment and like!
Development of recombinant BCG Vaccine for tuberculosis utilizing Major Membrane Protein-II (MMP-II) antigen
Took place Online, 13:00 BST, 29 June 2023
https://www.youtube.com/embed/66OtQOymIl8
In this talk, Dr Yumiko Tsikamoto discussed her innovative research which has led to the development of a recombinant BCG vaccine against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This novel vaccine features MTB-derived MMP-II and has been further modified by depleting the UreC gene, which stimulates phagosome-lysosome fusion in host cells infected with the recombinant BCG. Yimko will discus results from in vivo experiments that used a mouse model and show that this vaccine inhibits the multiplication of M. tuberculosis in the lungs much more efficiently than the traditional host BCG. Remarkably, the research team also achieved the development of an antibiotics-free recombinant BCG, utilizing cutting-edge auxotrophy-based recombination techniques. These groundbreaking findings represent a major advancement in the ongoing global effort to combat tuberculosis.
Spore-FP1 mucosal vaccine candidate for TB
Took place online, 15:00 BST, 4 July 2023
Two fascinating presentations by two VALIDATE members from St George's, University of London focused on the development of a potential Spore-FP1 vaccine for tuberculosis (TB). Prof Rajko Reljic examined the Spore-FP1 mucosal vaccine candidate based on the fusion protein of Ag85B-Acr-HBHA/heparin-binding domain adsorbed on the surface of inactivated Bacillus subtilis spores. The vaccine candidate demonstrated significant protection in mice and guinea pigs when used as a mucosal boost to BCG but did not improve the efficacy of BCG alone in NHP. Mr Emil Vergara then explored the potential of two subunit vaccine candidates, Spore-FP1 and Nano-FP1, as post-exposure TB vaccines in mice with pre-existing lung mycobacterial immunity elicited with Mycobacterium bovis BCG. Results showed an increasing trend in the frequency of tissue-resident memory T cells, antigen-specific effector CD4 and CD8 T cells, and mucosal and systemic antibody responses among mice that received candidate vaccines.
