Development and Comprehensive Assessment of Leprosy Vaccine Candidates - PhD studentship
This PhD project focuses on developing improved leprosy vaccines to support the WHO’s goal of eradicating the disease. Leprosy, caused by Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium lepromatosis, leads to severe nerve damage and disability, affecting over 200,000 people annually. While the BCG vaccine is currently recommended for prevention, its variable efficacy and short-lived protection highlight the urgent need for better alternatives. This research will compare BCG with novel vaccine candidates, exploring immunological responses, mycobacterial metabolism, and infection models using molecular biology, microbiology, biochemistry, and immunology techniques. Key questions include the ability of vaccine candidates to elicit protective immune responses without neurotoxicity and the potential of M. leprae proteins to enhance vaccine effectiveness. The project involves collaboration with specialists in neuroimmunology and cellular biomechanics.
