The Vaccine Research Center (VRC) is dedicated to translating basic science knowledge into clinical vaccine products. This requires the ability to carry out basic research, construct new vaccine products, perform preclinical research and evaluate candidate vaccines in human studies. To conduct human clinical trials, the VRC has established the infrastructure to produce vaccine products using good manufacturing practices, and to manage regulatory issues related to human trials. Activities related to this project include: - Those related to issues of appropriate caging, reagents, bedding, and supplies and potential conduct of the following: - Mouse experiments: Includes housing in BSL3, serum and tissue collection, inoculation HAI and MN assays, viral loads, daily clinical observations, and necrospsy. - Ferret experiements: Includes housing in BSL3, serum and tissue collection, inoculation HAI and MN assays, viral loads, daily clinical observations, and necrospsy. - Swine experiments: Includes housing in BSL3, serum and tissue collection, inoculation HAI and MN assays, viral loads, daily clinical observations, and necrospsy. - Non-human primate experiments: Includes housing in BSL3, serum and tissue collection, inoculation HAI and MN assays, viral loads, daily clinical observations, and necrospsy. This project will create new positions to support the development, production, testing, and release of vaccines at the VRC Vaccine Pilot Plant during the tenure of the ARRA funded program. In addition, the universal flu program, if successful, has the potential to change the paradigm for influenza vaccination and create a new highly successful vaccine. Licensure of a universal flu vaccine could create significant new jobs in new or existing companies who license the vaccine. In the development of the program, greater scientific understanding of influenza immunology will be generated which can be applied to other vaccine development programs. For example, if electroporation increases the immune response, that could provide critical new knowledge to vaccine research in other infectious diseases.
