Application of single cell genomics to vaccine discovery in parasitic helminths

Infections of parasitic helminths in livestock cause huge economic losses to the UK agricultural industry and impacts on the health and welfare of animals. Currently anthelmintic drugs are used to control infections. However, there are concerns over the efficacy of these drugs due to increased cases of anthelmintic resistance in parasite populations. Therefore, there is a need for alternative control strategies such as the development of vaccines. Vaccine development requires the identification of appropriate targets which are likely to produce a protective immune response. Recently, vaccines based on proteins which are expressed within the gut of parasitic nematodes have been shown to be successful. However, identifying these proteins can be expensive and difficult. The aim of this project is to use advances in single cell genomics to expedite the identification of potential vaccine candidates. Additionally, this will help to further develop current understanding of fundamental helminth biology.