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Research

A systems biology approach to better understand human tick-borne diseases

Tick-borne diseases are a growing global health concern. Despite extensive studies, ill-defined tick-associated pathologies remain with unknown aetiologies. Human immunological responses after tick bite, and inter-individual variations of immune-response phenotypes, are not well characterised.

Research

Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine reprograms human neonatal lipid metabolism in vivo and in vitro

Vaccines have generally been developed with limited insight into their molecular impact. While systems vaccinology enables characterization of mechanisms of action, these tools have yet to be applied to infants, who are at high risk of infection and receive the most vaccines. Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) protects infants against disseminated tuberculosis (TB) and TB-unrelated infections via incompletely understood mechanisms.

Research

Multi-Omic Data Integration Allows Baseline Immune Signatures to Predict Hepatitis B Vaccine Response in a Small Cohort

Vaccination remains one of the most effective means of reducing the burden of infectious diseases globally. Improving our understanding of the molecular basis for effective vaccine response is of paramount importance if we are to ensure the success of future vaccine development efforts. We applied cutting edge multi-omics approaches to extensively characterize temporal molecular responses following vaccination with hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine. Data were integrated across cellular, epigenomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and fecal microbiome profiles, and correlated to final HBV antibody titres.

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BCG vaccination-induced emergency granulopoiesis provides rapid protection from neonatal sepsis

We found that BCG, in a mouse model of neonatal polymicrobial sepsis, induced granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) within hours of administration

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Interferon β-1a ring prophylaxis to reduce household transmission of SARS-CoV-2: a cluster randomised clinical trial

Accumulating evidence indicates that an early, robust type 1 interferon (IFN) response to SARS-CoV-2 is important in determining COVID-19 outcomes, with an inadequate IFN response associated with disease severity. Our objective was to examine the prophylactic potential of IFN administration to limit viral transmission.

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The global burden of sore throat and group A Streptococcus pharyngitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Contemporary data for the global burden of sore throat and group A Streptococcus (Strep A) pharyngitis are required to understand the frequency of disease and develop value propositions for Strep A vaccines.

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The safety of co-administration of Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and influenza vaccines

With the emergence of novel vaccines and new applications for older vaccines, co-administration is increasingly likely. The immunomodulatory effects of BCG could theoretically alter the reactogenicity of co-administered vaccines. Using active surveillance in a randomised controlled trial, we aimed to determine whether co-administration of BCG vaccination changes the safety profile of influenza vaccination.

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Dynamic molecular changes during the first week of human life follow a robust developmental trajectory

Systems biology and innovative data integration can provide fresh insights into the molecular ontogeny of the first week of life

Research

The non-specific and sex-differential effects of vaccines

The textbook view of vaccination is that it functions to induce immune memory of the specific pathogen components of the vaccine, leading to a quantitatively and qualitatively better response if the host is exposed to infection with the same pathogen

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Vaccination strategies to enhance immunity in neonates

Protection may be further improved by integrating these approaches, namely vaccinating the neonate under the cover of vertically transferred maternal immunity