Analytic vaccinology

Human monoclonal antibodies selected for properties such as potency, breadth, and failure to select escape mutants can be used not only as prophylactic or therapeutic drugs but also as tools for vaccine design to identify the target antigen and to optimize the expression of the relevant epitopes. This process was dubbed as “analytic vaccinology”. Building on previous success, we propose to further explore the possibility of isolating new broadly neutralizing antibodies against paramyxoviruses and coronaviruses. In addition we will continue our work to develop and test in a preclinical model a human cytomegalovirus vaccine and we will try to identify the molecules that function as viral receptor on human cells. Finally, we will start a new exploratory project on the metabolic control of the T cell response.