Projects

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 ...

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.

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 ...

Aminopeptidase N-mediated delivery of vaccine antigens to the gut immune system holds great promise to develop efficacious oral vaccines to combat gut pathogens in pigs. This project builds further on previous data showing protective immunity against infection with pathogenic E. coli induced by oral vaccination of piglets with aminopeptidase N-targeted vaccine antigens. In this project, we aim to optimize the design of our ...

CENTERVAX – CENter for development and validation of innovative ThERapeutics and Vaccines

For reasons of confidentiality the project summary cannot be disclosed.

For more information please contact the (co)promoter.

Vaccines have been produced but most of the current vaccines are undefined mutants produced by chemical mutagenesis or by isolating U+2018aturalU+2019mutants of wild-type strains. The current project aims to A) produce a combined Salmonella Enteritidis/Typhimurium vaccine that protects against shedding and colonization by strains of both serotypes in broilers, and B) a Salmonella Gallinarum vaccine that protects against fowl typhoid in ...

Porcien epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a highly contagious enteric corona virus that gives rise to watery diarrhea and vomiting in pigs of all ages with death in newborn piglets. As there is no effective vaccine on the market yet, the aim of this study is to develop a vaccine that can protect against PED by inducing both active and passive (= maternal) immunity.

In this project we will introduce our self-amplifying mRNA vaccine platform in chicken. To that end we will design and in vitro validate two mRNA vaccines encoding selected antigens of one of the most important pathogens in poultry production. Subsequently, we will formulate the sa-mRNA vaccines with UGent owned lipid nanoparticles and investigate their immunogencity and protection efficacy in a challenge study in chicken.

An efficient vaccine would be a useful weapon in the fight against dysentery in pigs. Our research group used an avirulent strain of B. hyodysenteriae in an in vivo vaccination trial. The use of this strain as a weakened live vaccine seems promising. In a first phase, further research would mainly focus on confirming the efficacy and safety of the vaccine strain in a large vaccination experiment. The vaccine strain would be tested in a model ...