29 March 2012

PhD CoC Seminar - Development of Vaccine Approaches for Pandemic Influenza Infections

Tuesday 3 April 2012 – Presented by Yu-Chen Lin

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Abstract

Influenza virus is the causative agent of influenza or commonly known as the “flu”. This disease is highly contagious and can result in severe respiratory illness in humans and avian species. Rapid antigenic-variation makes the eradication of influenza virus difficult to accomplish. Although current research cannot predict that a new influenza pandemic is imminent, the destructive force of influenza pandemics should not be neglected, and proper precautions should be taken into account.

Among various methods of controlling the spread of influenza virus, immunizations are considered as the most effective measure. However, this production method has inherited a number of disadvantages, and most importantly the conventional method will be unable to respond to pandemic strikes from antigenically novel strains. Therefore, a novel influenza vaccine is urgently required for future pandemic strikes.

The influenza hemagglutinin domain 1 (HA1) is one of the predominant surface proteins of an influenza virion, which contains most of the antigenic epitopes presented during an influenza infection. Therefore protective immunity may be elicited from administration of recombinant HA1 (rHA1), to prevent subsequent influenza infections. The immunogenicity of such an immunising strategy could vary greatly depending on the route of antigen delivery.

In this research, the rHA1 will be expressed using different biological systems including the well known yeast “Pichia pastoris”, and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium mutant (STM-1). The immunogenicity of these rHA1 will be evaluated using animal models, and successful results could serve as a novel platform in counteracting future pandemic influenza outbreaks.

Supervisors

• Professor Peter Smooker

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Seminar coordinator: Leeanne Bickford Tel. +61 3 9925 7106