Vaccines are still the best way of protecting populations from infectious diseases. The technology of vaccine production has dramatically improved during the last decade and the understanding of different immune parameters and thus protection as well. At the same time the acceptance for animal trials to monitor vaccine efficacy has dropped and thus new pathways for assessing vaccine potency are needed. This CRP will address in vitro assays which allow the evaluation of VACCINES without challenge trials and reduced bio risk. At the same time new QC technique for the monitoring of the vaccine production process will be implemented to better understand the immune mechanisms underlying novel vaccines.
To develop procedures and protocols for the evaluation of vaccines and immune inducers in terms of their immunogenicity and their immune profile. This includes the development and evaluation of serological and immunological tools to quantify the effects of different vaccines and their formulation agents.
Evaluate the immune response of target animals for different vaccines and define immune parameters correlated to protection
Develop SOPs for efficacy and potency testing of attenuated, killed and irradiated vaccines by immunological methods
Evaluate application of inactivated/irradiated antigens to elicit cellular immune responses in vitro
using isotope, fluorescent or enzyme-labelled antibodies assays
) Correlate in vitro induced immune response to protection and the cellular immune response elicited
Evaluate the cost benefits of in vitro protection assays