A synthetic vaccine against the parasitic worm Schistosoma mansoni

The potential of Synthetic Biology (SB) in vaccine development is under-explored. SB is applied in vaccinology in a similar fashion to other design-based approaches: computational, bioinformatic and modelling methods are used to design synthetic antigen constructs which are capable of eliciting a protective immune response. In particular, engineered scaffolds, when combined with design-based approaches, have the potential to elicit immune responses which do not occur with the natural infection. This approach promises to circumvent problems where traditional vaccines have failed- in cases where protection is short-lived or weak for example. The project therefore fits within the BBSRC remit of 'Transforming industries through bio-based processes'; in particular, it seeks to '... apply whole-cell (and enzymatic systems) and harness synthetic biology approaches, to aid the production of ... biopharmaceuticals... '