Determinants of T-cell cross-immunity in human and animal viruses

Prior exposure to one virus can confer a degree of protection to another, a process
termed cross-protective immunity. With over 200 species of virus known to infect
humans, the degree of cross-immunity may be an important contributor to which
viruses successfully spread in humans, livestock and companion animals. Harnessing
cross-reactive T-cell immunity across variable viral systems holds promise for
designing vaccines for current and future zoonotic threats. Here, using a paired
bioinformatic and immunology approach, we will deconvolute the fundamental rules
determining T-cell cross-reactivity by precisely characterising the interplay between
viral evolution and T-cell specificity across host and viral species.