Summary – Vaccine Bioscience

• Synthesis of the Vaccine Biosciences Program

  Our focus is on developing vaccine-based solutions and diagnostic assays as inputs to increasing livestock productivity as livestock diseases feature prominently among the many constraints faced by resource poor farmers.

  • We learn from existing vaccines to develop improved ones, try to simplify diagnostic tests into more user-friendly formats, and develop generic technologies that cut across different diseases.
  • We undertake both basic and applied research, which is high risk but high reward, and long term in nature.
  • As we don’t have the expertise, our dream alliance requires collaboration for market and impact assessment studies, to overcome policy barriers and end user constraints, learn from the genetics of disease resistance and predictions of climate change and to increase the use of vaccines and diagnostics in improving disease control.

  The biggest “problem” that Vaccine Biosciences faces is that the vaccine products we are working to develop exist as concepts and virtual inputs in value chains during a major part of the lifetime of a given project.

  • So, how do we get buy in from ILRI programs and CRPs for the Vaccine Biosciences priority diseases and what do they do in the interim?
    • For ECF, a subunit vaccine is still many years away and the interim solution is the live ITM vaccine.
    • For CBPP/CCPP, again we are years away from improved vaccines and interim solutions rely on the existing vaccines, which give a short duration of immunity (CBPP) or is difficult to make (CCPP).
  • Are there other diseases that we should be working on?
    • Should these include the “easy-to-make” vaccines (at least by the private sector), even if they are not of high priority?
    • An example, includes to make and test an attenuated live viral vaccine for MCF to curb the seasonal outbreaks in cattle at Kapiti and other sites (Naivasha) associated with wildebeest calving. [We lost 200 cattle last year!]

  Diagnostic assays are short-medium term deliverables and probably the easiest ILRI health related technology to develop. There was a lot of interest in and demand for “JJ’s magic tool”, the self-loading diagnostic chip. Other diagnostic formats can be developed.

  • In the first instance more user-friendly tests have a bigger use as a research tool within the Integrated Sciences programs and CRPs.
    • So who would use such tests and for what purpose?
    • What type of tests are needed and to which diseases?

   

  In addition to all the above, as we look forward to CRP phase 2, there is a clear call for more human and livestock health issues to be tackled in the SRF.

  • In addition to the strategic partners identified by LaF, should we consider a formal relationship with GALVmed?

  In order to be more opportunistic and responsive in tackling health related issues we should consider investment in a unit to fulfill such demands, which currently are out side the capacity of the current Vaccine Biosciences group.

  • Such a unit – ILRI Biologics – could be tasked with a service (and research) function to support vaccine and diagnostic activities and play a role in capacity development with the BecA-Hub.

  0

  0

  Be the 1st to vote.

  Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)