VALIDATE Workshop: From Candidate to Vaccine - Translating the Next Generation of Vaccines for Intracellular Pathogens
Call and Registration Closed

The workshop focused on advancing vaccine candidates for mycobacterial diseases, leishmaniases, and melioidosis, bringing together experts from academia and industry. Held over two days, the event aimed to support VALIDATE members in progressing their vaccine candidates towards viability. It featured a mix of presentations, discussions, and networking opportunities to foster collaboration among researchers and professionals in the field. The workshop brought together experts from academia and industry, aiming to advance current vaccine candidates towards viability.
On the first day, Prof Samantha Sampson opened the session, which featured "Turbo Talks" in which all delegates were given three minutes to introduce themselves and their work. The morning session included insightful talks on tuberculosis, melioidosis, and leishmaniasis vaccine development, with speakers Dr Rhea Coler, Prof Direk Limmathurotsakul and Prof Abhay Satoskar providing comprehensive introductions to the status of vaccine research for each of our focus pathogens. The afternoon focused on first and second-generation vaccines, with Dr Alison Kraigsley discussing next-generation TB vaccines and Dr Claudia Brodskyn addressing immunotherapy in canine visceral leishmaniasis. The day concluded with round-table discussions and a networking dinner at Trader Vic's restaurant don't the banks of the Chao Praya river..
The second day of the workshop opened with a session on third-generation platforms such as mRNA and viral vectors. Dr Steve Reed and Dr Alvaro Borges presented the morning sessions on mRNA vaccines and the tuberculosis vaccine candidate H56. Later, Dr Lisa Morici addressed advances in leishmaniasis and Burkholderia vaccine development. The afternoon explored the challenges of transitioning vaccine candidates to clinical trials, with contributions from Dr Pia Steigler and Prof Siobhan McClean. Throughout the event, delegates engaged in round-table discussions, fostering future collaborations. The workshop successfully provided a platform for exchanging ideas and fostering partnerships to progress vaccine candidates towards clinical application.
Agenda
Day One - 18 July 2024
Time | Talk Title | Speaker |
09:00 - 09:05 | Welcome | Prof Samantha Sampson |
09:05 - 10:35 | Turbo Talks - Quick fire talks from all delegates, introducing themselves, their career, their research and vaccine candidates | All delegates |
Session 1: Introductions | ||
Time | Talk Title | Speaker |
10:35 - 11:00 | Break | |
11:00 - 11:20 | Tuberculosis vaccine development: A comprehensive appraisal of the current state | Dr Rhea Coler, University of Washington, USA |
11:20 - 11:40 | Melioidosis – an update | Prof Direk Limmathurotsakul, Mahidol University, Thailand |
11:40 - 12:00 | Progress towards development of vaccines for control and elimination of leishmaniasis | Prof Abhay Satoskar, Ohio State University, USA |
12:00 - 12:15 | Q&A | |
12:15 - 13:15 | Lunch |
Session 2: First & Second Generations Vaccines |
||
Time | Talk Title | Speaker |
13:15 - 13:35 | Development of vaccines for visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil | Prof Myron Christodoulides, University of Southampton, UK |
13:35 - 13:55 | Immunotherapy with live attenuated Leishmania vaccines to prevent severe disease & reduce transmissibility of infection in asymptomatic canine visceral leishmaniasis | Dr Claudia Brodskyn, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Brazil |
13:55 - 14:15 | Supporting the Next Generation TB Vaccines | Dr Alison Kraigsley, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USA |
14:15 - 14:30 | Q&A | |
14:30 - 15:00 | Break | |
15:00 - 15:20 | Safety and Immunogenicity Testing of a Melioidosis Subunit Vaccine Candidate in Non-Human Primates | Dr Mary Burtnick, University of Nevada, Reno, USA |
15:20 - 15:40 | Development and evaluation of attenuated and nanoparticle vaccines against Burkholderia pseudomallei | Dr Alfredo Torres, UTMB, USA |
15:40 - 15:55 | Q&A | |
15:55 - 16:40 | Round tables | |
16:40 - 17:00 | Wrap up | |
17:00 | Day ends | |
18:00 - 20:00 | Workshop Dinner at Trader Vic's |
Day Two - 19 July 2024
Session 3: Third-Generation Platforms (mRNA, viral vectors) | ||
Time | Talk Title | Speaker |
09:00 - 09:10 | Welcome back | |
09:10 - 09:30 | mRNA Vaccines for Global Health | Dr Steve Reed (RNA), HDT Bio, Seattle, USA |
09:30 - 09:50 | The tuberculosis vaccine candidate H56 | Dr Alvaro Borges, Statens Serum Institut, Denmark |
09:50 - 10:05 | Q&A | |
10:05 - 10:35 | Break | |
10:55 - 11:15 | Development and Manufacturing of a Burkholderia OMV | Dr Lisa Morici, Tulane School of Medicine, USA |
11:15 - 11:30 | Q&A | |
11:30 - 12:30 | Round tables | |
12:30 - 13:30 | Lunch |
Session 4: Turning Candidates into Vaccines |
||
Time | Talk Title | Speaker |
13:30 - 13:50 | Towards sustainable end-to-end mRNA vaccine development and manufacturing for LMIC: An update from the Technology Transfer Hub | Dr Pia Steigler, Afrigen (mRNA platform), South Africa |
13:50 - 14:10 | Challenges of progression of a melioidosis vaccine from mice to man: trials, tribulations and tips | Prof Siobhan McClean, UCD, Ireland |
14:10 - 14:30 | Congratulations! It’s a …. Clinical Trial! | Mrs Kristin Croucher, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USA |
14:30 - 14:50 | Q&A | |
14:50 - 15:20 | Break | |
15:20 - 16:30 | Final Round table | |
16:30 - 17:00 | Wrap up | |
17:00 | Day ends |