A shot in the arm for vaccine research

New vaccines could be developed more quickly and be better targeted to specific age groups, thanks to EU-funded research. A five-year project has been studying novel immunisation technologies, boosting international efforts in vaccine research.

Vaccination has had a huge impact on preventing diseases but there are still many illnesses for which no vaccine is available – such as HIV – or that need an urgent response – such as epidemic influenza strains.

To help scientists develop novel immunisation technologies, the ADITEC project is looking into exactly how vaccines work and how vaccination strategies and techniques can be improved. Specific results so far, such as novel immunisation technologies, adjuvants, vectors and delivery systems, optimised formulations and vaccination methods for different age groups, all come together in a toolbox enabling the best possible insight into fighting diseases.

The EU-funded project is contributing to possible international regulation and standards for these novel technologies. Along with regularly setting up and running European training programmes, ADITEC has also created synergies and cross-fertilisation between research areas that have the potential to fill existing gaps and advance this knowledge well into the future.

“This is a high-impact project,” says the project’s scientific coordinator, Donata Medaglini of Italy’s Università di Siena and the Sclavo Vaccines Association. “This unique joint effort addresses a wide range of crucial aspects of vaccination – from new technologies to clinical trials and public health.”

Read the whole article on the website of the EC.