Engineering recombinant non-pathogenic bacteria to express antigens from pathogenic species for vaccine development

About the Project

Bacterial infections pose major health challenges for humans and animals worldwide. The treatment of many such infections is becoming increasingly difficult due to the rise of antibiotic resistance. As a result, the development of prophylactic vaccines against these pathogens are urgently needed. In this project, we aim to develop recombinant non-pathogenic bacterial cells that express antigens derived from pathogenic species and utilize these engineered cells directly as vaccine candidates. Our initial focus will be on fish pathogens such as Vibro spp, which pose a serious threat to aquaculture and cause substantial economic losses. Fish are chosen for the initial phase because vaccine efficacy can be evaluated more readily in aquaculture systems than in humans. Once the feasibility of our vaccine design strategy is demonstrated in fish, we will extend our approach to an antibiotic-resistant human pathogen, Acinetobacter baumannii. The project will encompass antigen selection and structure-based design, gene cloning, antigen expression and characterization, vaccine formulation, and evaluation of immune response and protective efficacy. The vaccine efficacy study will be conducted in collaboration with fish farms in Singapore and research partners both locally and internationally.