Date/Time
Date(s) - Fri 17 July
12:00
Location
Seminar Room, Malaghan Institute, VUW
Malaghan Institute seminar
VACCINES TAILORED FOR LIVER RESIDENT MEMORY T CELL AGAINST MALARIA
Dr Lauren Holz | Group Head | University of Melbourne
Vaccine-induced cytotoxic T cells can prevent malaria by killing parasite-infected hepatocytes during the liver stage. While several antigenic targets have been identified, little consideration has been given to their temporal expression. Researchers identified SERA1 of Plasmodium berghei as a late liver-stage target in rodent malaria and further showed that the classic vaccine antigen thrombospondin-related adhesion protein (TRAP) is only an early target. While vaccination with either antigen alone was modestly protective, combining these antigens enabled killing over the entire liver-stage, greatly improving efficacy. Given the relatively long liver-stage in human malaria, the findings indicate that considerations of temporal coverage when selecting vaccine antigens will improve efficacy.
Dr Holz is a Group Head at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute) at the University of Melbourne. Dr Holz’s research focuses on developing vaccines that generate tissue-resident memory T cells in the liver to target malaria. In 2020, her laboratory pivoted to mRNA vaccine technologies and developed the first tissue-targeted mRNA vaccine. Her work bridges fundamental immunology and translational vaccine development, and she is currently working with industry partners to advance this technology toward clinical application.
Note that if you are coming from outside the Malaghan Institute, please allow time to sign-in at reception for their start at 12 noon.
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/44992206759749?p=o0qhQrqDW4QSYDzQQW
Meeting ID: 449 922 067 597 49
Passcode: 9434M3t3