China Partnering Award: Exchange of vaccine technology for delivery of oral vaccines to mucosal surfaces

Lead Research Organisation: University of East Anglia
Department Name: Norwich Medical School

Abstract

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Description The main aim of this partnership is to establish collaborative networks important for the development of new oral vaccines targeted to mucosal sites that can be used to protect against the 90% or more of infections that occur in the respiratory and gastrointestinal (GI-) tract. The award has focussed on development of vaccine delivery by outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) developed at the Quadrum Institute Bioscience (QIB) and plant-based vaccines pioneered at the John Innes Centre (JIC). Methods of studying antigen delivery and activation of innate immune responses at mucosal sites have been explored by developing stem cell-based organoids derived from the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts (UEA and Liverpool) and novel knock out mice defective in innate immunity (UEA). This partnership has forged new collaborations with two major laboratories in China to develop vaccines against farmed animals (Lanzhou) and humans (Pasteur Institute Shanghai), with an emphasis on viruses of particular importance in China and Southeast Asia.
Exploitation Route development of oral vaccines
Sectors Agriculture, Food and Drink,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology
 
Description Generation of OMVs expressing virus antigens 
Organisation Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute
Country China 
Sector Learned Society 
PI Contribution Plasmids able to express protein targeted to outer membrane vesicles have been engineered at Quadrum Institute Bioscience to express viral antigens of interest to Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute (LVRI). T. Wileman, P. S. Carding, Regis Stentz from Norwich Research Park, and James Stewart from University of Liverpool visited State Key Laboratory of Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute (LVRI) , and Pasteur Institute Shanghai in June 2016 to discuss research projects and collaboration. T. Wileman, P. Powell, S. Carding, Regis Stentz from Norwich research Park, and James Stewart from University of Liverpool visited three research institutes (Institute of Microbiology, Beijing Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Northwest Agricultural and Forestry University,Yangling, Shaanxi) in October 2018 to discuss further research projects and collaboration
Collaborator Contribution The plasmids have been sent to LVRI where they will be used to generate OMVs containing viral antigens for use in vaccine trials. Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Zhidong Zhang, Yanmin Li, Xiaodong Qin) and Gang Long from Pasteur Institute Shanghai, visited Norwich Research Park 06:2017 to discuss collaborative work. Dr Yang Yang from LVRI has been sent on a six month secondment (October 2018-May 2019) to Quadrum to characterise OMV vaccine candidates and organise shipment to Lanzhou China.
Impact none
Start Year 2017
 
Description Transfer of mice deficient in LAP 
Organisation Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute
Country China 
Sector Learned Society 
PI Contribution Mice deficient in LAP generated at UEA/QIB have been sent to Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute (LVRI). T. Wileman, P. S. Carding, Regis Stentz from Norwich Research Park, and James Stewart from University of Liverpool visited State Key Laboratory of Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute (LVRI) , and Pasteur Institute Shanghai in June 2016 to discuss research projects and collaboration. T. Wileman, P. Powell, S. Carding, Regis Stentz from Norwich research Park, and James Stewart from University of Liverpool visited three research institutes (Institute of Microbiology, Beijing Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Northwest Agricultural and Forestry University,Yangling, Shaanxi) in October 2018 to discuss further research projects and collaboration. Mice deficient in LAP generated at UEA/QIB have been sent to University of New Mexico, USA, St Judes Medical Centre, Memphis USA, University of South Florida. USA,
Collaborator Contribution LAP deficient mice will be used in infection studies focusing on Foot and Mouth Disease virus at LVRI, and possibly Zika virus at Pasteur Institute in Shanghai. Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Zhidong Zhang, Yanmin Li, Xiaodong Qin) and Gang Long from Pasteur Institute Shanghai, visited Norwich Research Park 06:2017 to discuss collaborative work. Dr Yang Yang from LVRI has been sent on a six month secondment (October 2018-May 2019) to UEA to learn how to characterise LAP deficient mice. Mice deficient in LAP will be used in studies of infection and age dependent cognitive decline DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abb9036
Impact DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abb9036
Start Year 2019
 
Description exploring the potential of plants and bacterial outer membrane vesicles to generate oral vaccines for farmed animals 
Organisation Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Country China 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Our visit to China in October 2016 allowed us to plan exchange visits for young investigators to travel from China to UEA/Norwich Research Park to study bacterial outer membrane vesicles engineered to contain vaccine candidates. They will gain intellectual expertise and training in protein and outer membrane vesicle preparation. T. Wileman, P. Powell, S. Carding, Regis Stentz from Norwich research Park, and James Stewart from University of Liverpool visited three research institutes (Institute of Microbiology, Beijing Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Northwest Agricultural and Forestry University,Yangling, Shaanxi) in October 2018 to discuss research projects.
Collaborator Contribution Our Chinese partners will provide the opportunity to test promising new vaccine formulations. Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Zhidong Zhang, Yanmin Li, Xiaodong Qin) and Gang Long from Pasteur Institute Shanghai, visited Norwich Research Park 06:2017 to discuss collaborative work,
Impact Multidisciplinary collaboration spanning microbiology, plant biology, immunology and vaccine technology.
Start Year 2016