Course Description
Modern approaches to design and development of vaccines for parasites, viral, and bacterial infections. Modern approaches to developing therapeutic vaccines for cancers and infectious diseases. The logistical and regulatory hurdles in taking a vaccine from concept to market.
Athena Title
VACCINES DES & DEV
Prerequisite
[(CBIO(MBIO)(IDIS) 4100/6100 or BCMB 4010/6010 or BCMB 4020/6020) and GENE(BIOL) 3200] or permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
To present to students concepts and problems that were utilized in the design and development of currently employed successful vaccines. To expand upon those methods and strategies used to generate successful vaccines to an in-depth examination of the many conceptual, immunological and technical problems that have hampered development of vaccines for numerous parasitic, viral and bacterial infections. To have a thorough discussion on “cutting edge” methods, their successes and failures, to ramp up the host immune response to difficult to vaccinate for pathogens. To gain a thorough understanding of what constitutes protective vs. anti-transmission vs. therapeutic vaccines. Lastly, to have students understand the rigorous process of taking a vaccine from concept, to design, development, licensing and finally to clinical trials. Progress towards meeting these objectives will be measured by weekly homework based on primary literature handed out the preceding week. Additionally, students will be asked to present and discuss one or more primary literature studies to the class prior to the day's lecture. There will also be a final examination.
Topical Outline
Introduction to vaccines, historical perspectives Innate immunity: the first and critical response to vaccination Mucosal immunity Current vaccines that work and why Adjuvants DNA and vector-based vaccinology Nanotechnologies for vaccine delivery BCG and new generation TB vaccines Parasite vaccines: protozoans Parasite vaccines: worms Influenza vaccines HIV-1 vaccines Dengue virus vaccines Biodefense vaccines Therapeutic cancer vaccines Regulatory agencies for licensing