WIREDGOV

Scientists from the UK and USA are using technology that helped in the design of a new synthetic vaccine to combat the foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) to now target the virus that causes polio. The synthetic vaccine, currently being engineered in collaboration with Professor Dave Rowlands at the University of Leeds, would provide a powerful weapon in the fight to rid the world of polio. This project is being funded by a £438,000 grant from the World Health Organisation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The team hopes to create a vaccine that does not contain the viral genome but instead ‘mimics’ the structure of the live virus. Such a vaccine would be quicker, easier and safer to produce. Even after the apparent global elimination of poliomyelitis it will be necessary to continue vaccination as a precaution against reintroduction of the virus from hidden sources, such as rare chronically infected carriers. A synthetic vaccine would fulfil this role without the inherent danger of accidental release of virus associated with the production of current vaccines. Eventually such vaccines could pave the way to completely eliminating the necessity to vaccinate.

Speaking at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS 2015) meeting in San Jose, Professor Dave Stuart, Life Sciences Director at Diamond Light Source, the UK’s national synchrotron science facility, and Professor of Structural Biology at Oxford University, explains: “Using a combination of techniques, including X-ray crystallography at Diamond and electron cryo-microscopy in Oxford, we’ve begun the task of gathering crystal structures and electron microscopy images that will tell us what we need to know to stabilise the shell of the virus and engineer a strong vaccine that has the ability to bring about the desired immune response in humans.”

He added, “Following on from the success we’ve had with the foot and mouth disease vaccine, we aim to transfer the approach to vaccines for other viruses including polio. Early results with polio are very promising, with synthetic particles being produced and evidence of successful stabilisation.”

See the full story on the Diamond web site.

Notes

Diamond is funded as a joint venture between the UK Government through the Science and Technology Facilities Council in partnership with the Wellcome Trust. It is located on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire. Diamond is used for academic and industry research and development across a range of scientific disciplines including structural biology, physics, chemistry, materials science, engineering, earth and environmental sciences.