Projects

Highly infectious, highly pathogenic microorganisms responsible for worldwide morbidity and mortality in humans and animals. To combat serious infectious diseases and monitor its vaccination and antimicrobial therapy is very important. But for many micro-organisms are existing vaccines or treatments insufficient or is not available, since the knowledge of the host-pathogen interaction is insufficient or because of resistance to existing ...

Alphaherpesviruses have developed a finetuned balance with the immune system of the host,

allowing (lifelong) infection of the host and efficient transmission but at the same time leading to

relatively benign symptoms, such as cold sores with herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1).

Disturbance of the balance with the immune system can have severe consequences. Deficiencies in

Natural Killer (NK) cells ...

Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Enteritidis is a pandemic pathogen, present in
countries with industrial poultry production since the 1990s. Ingestion of this foodborne
pathogen by humans results in gastroenteritis and is linked to contaminated eggs and egg
products. Salmonellosis caused by Salmonella Enteritidis in chickens however does not lead to
clinical symptoms but causes enormous economic losses. ...

Messenger RNA-based cancer vaccines have recentrly gained much scientific and clinical attention due to their promising performance and distinguished safety profile. An important advantage of mRNA vaccines over peptide- or cell-based therapy is their faster production, cheaper cost, and precisely defined composition. The main goal of this doctoral thesis was to improve mRNA by 1) optimizing mRNA delivery to target cells and 2) constructing ...

The aim of this project is to enhance the efficacy of tumor cell vaccines by increasing their immunogenicity and by combining the tumor cell vaccines with a depletion of regulatory T-cells. We will optimize this new vaccination strategy in tumor bearing mice. Subsequently, the most effective cancer vaccination protocol will be evaluated in dogs with cancer.

The objective is the discovery and development of vaccines against major parasitic helminth infections in ruminants. The UGent team focuses on Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora, two gastrointestinal nematodes in cattle. New vaccine candidates are identified, purified and tested in vaccine trials. Vaccine induced immune responses are characterised. The protein structure and glycosylation of vaccine antigens is determined and ...

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infections lead to major economic losses in pig production worldwide.

Current commercial vaccines provide only partial protection. The effect of different vaccines on an

infection with different M. hyopneumoniae strains and host immune responses is studied. This may

support the development of new ...

The objective is the development of vaccines against major parasitic infections in production animals. The UGent team focuses on Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora in cattle. Structural components of the protective ASP antigens and protective immune responses are characterised in order to produce protective recombinant vaccines. C. oncophora ASP antigen is validated against homologous Cooperia species in cattle and sheep.

The target of this SBO proposal is the establishment of a broad platform for the SialoTarg core technology and the development of a series of advanced pharmaceuticals which will enable us to tackle some of the major challenges in human and veterinary medicine. This will in turn allow the pursuit of strong and broadly enabling IPR for sialoadhesin-based macrophage targeting therapeutics.