Project description
Global-lg technique for population-based vaccine development
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic underscored the need for vaccines that offer protection across diverse populations. Variability in human antibody genes influences immune responses, making it essential to understand potential differences in how humans recognise vaccine candidates. The ERC-funded GlobalPROTECT project will develop a technique called Global-Ig to generate large antibody libraries representing naive B cell repertoires from different populations. These will be used to evaluate B cell recognition of vaccine candidates and identify widely recognised antigens. If an antibody library from a certain population displays suboptimal recognition of a vaccine antigen, the antigen can be modified to better accommodate this genetic difference. This approach enables pre-screening and selection of suitable antigens before a vaccine candidate goes through clinical trials, reducing costs and advancing health equity.
Objective
As the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has demonstrated, vaccines that provide broad global protection are needed. However, human antibody genes are highly variable and thus, the quality of vaccine-induced responses can vary between population groups. This variation is shaped by the long history of host/disease interactions and differences in endemic diseases between regions over time, resulting in differences in antibody allele frequencies between populations. Therefore, information about how naïve antibody repertoires representing diverse population groups recognize vaccine candidates would greatly improve the development of broadly protective vaccines. In this Proof-of-Concept grant, we will develop a technique, Global-Ig, which allows in vitro production of large antibody libraries from a database of antibody germline gene variants representing the range of human global variation observed in the major population groups of the world, which we have assembled as part of our ongoing ERC Advanced project. Libraries representing different population groups will be used to prospectively identify differences in B cell recognition of candidate vaccines to facilitate selection of vaccine antigens that are broadly recognized. In cases where suboptimal binding to a vaccine antigen is detected for one or more population groups, the antigen can be modified to better accommodate population-specific alleles. Importantly, prospective screening against population-based antibody libraries in vitro offers possibilities to identify antigens that are broadly recognized prior to advancing candidates to clinical trials, substantially reducing costs associated with clinical development and improving health equity. Thus, the population-based Global-Ig antibody library technique described here represents an opportunity to harness information about human antibody germline gene variation gained in our ongoing ERC Advanced grant to select and tailor vaccine candidates for a global market.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences computer and information sciences databases
- humanities history and archaeology history
- medical and health sciences health sciences public health epidemiology pandemics
- medical and health sciences health sciences infectious diseases RNA viruses coronaviruses
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy pharmaceutical drugs vaccines
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2024-POC
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
171 77 STOCKHOLM
Sweden
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.