About this Research Topic
This Research Topic is the second volume of the “Development and standardization of assays to assess immunogenicity and correlates of protection of vaccines against respiratory viral infections’’ Community Series.
Please see Volume 1 here
Vaccination remains one of the most effective strategies to prevent and control a wide range of infectious diseases. The success of vaccines in eradicating or significantly reducing the prevalence of diseases such as smallpox, polio, and measles underscores the critical role they play in public health. As the field of vaccinology advances, the development and harmonization of assays and models to assess vaccine immunogenicity and identify correlates of protection are paramount.
Building on the success of the Research Topic Series “Development and Standardization of assays to assess immunogenicity and correlates of protection of vaccines against respiratory viral infections” (Volume 1), this Community Series Volume 2 we wish to extend this effort and compile the results of recent research efforts that are addressing these challenges in the field of respiratory viral infections.
The immunogenicity of a vaccine, which refers to its ability to elicit an immune response, is a crucial determinant of its efficacy. To accurately assess immunogenicity, a variety of assays are employed, including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), neutralization assays, and flow cytometry-based methods. These assays measure different aspects of the immune response, such as antibody titers, functional antibody activity, and T-cell responses. However, the variability in assay design, execution, and interpretation can lead to inconsistencies in immunogenicity data, complicating the comparison of results across different studies and vaccine candidates.
To address these challenges, harmonization of immunogenicity assays is essential. Standardizing protocols, reagents, and data analysis methods can enhance the reproducibility and comparability of results. International collaborations and consortia, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), play a pivotal role in establishing guidelines and frameworks for assay harmonization. These efforts facilitate regulatory approvals and accelerate the development and deployment of vaccines, especially during public health emergencies.
Identifying correlates of protection, which are measurable signs that a person is immune to an infection, is another critical aspect of vaccine development. Correlates of protection can include specific antibody levels, the presence of particular immune cells, or other biomarkers that are indicative of immunity. Establishing these correlates involves extensive clinical and preclinical studies, often requiring the integration of diverse data sources and advanced statistical models. Animal models, human challenge studies, and observational studies in vaccinated populations are key approaches used to elucidate these correlates.
The harmonization of models used to identify correlates of protection is equally important. Consistent use of validated in vitro models, animal models, and standardized human challenge protocols can improve the reliability of findings and their applicability to broader populations. Additionally, leveraging bioinformatics and systems biology approaches can provide deeper insights into the immune mechanisms underlying protection and aid in the identification of novel correlates.
Despite significant progress, several challenges remain. Variability in human populations, differences in pathogen strains, and evolving immune landscapes necessitate ongoing refinement of assays and models. Ethical considerations, particularly in human challenge studies, require careful management to ensure participant safety and informed consent.
In conclusion, the development and harmonization of assays and models to assess vaccine immunogenicity and correlates of protection are critical to advancing vaccine research and development. Standardized methodologies and collaborative efforts are essential to overcoming current challenges and enhancing the global capacity to respond to infectious disease threats. By fostering greater consistency and reliability in immunogenicity assessments, we can improve vaccine efficacy, streamline regulatory processes, and ultimately protect public health more effectively.
This research topic wishes to compile the results of original research aiming at the development and/or harmonization of assay methods to measure the humoral and cellular immune responses elicited by established and novel vaccines against pathogens causing respiratory infections. Reports on the development and harmonization of in vivo and in vitro models to establish correlates of protection and review articles on these topics are equally welcomed.
Ideally, these efforts will facilitate and improve ongoing and future vaccine research and development.
We welcome the submission of Original Research articles, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Perspective articles, Opinion articles, and Commentaries around the following topics, which include but are not limited to:
- Development and harmonization of in vitro assays to measure the humoral, cellular, or innate immune response to pathogens causing respiratory infections.
-Development and harmonization of in vitro or in vivo models, to define correlates of protection to to pathogens causing respiratory infections.
-Identification of innate, humoral, or cellular immune responses that correlate with protection against infection or severe disease caused by pathogens causing respiratory infections
-Identification of factors that influence or determine the quality or magnitude of innate, humoral, or cellular immune response to pathogens causing respiratory infections
We acknowledge the funding of the manuscripts published in this Research Topic by the Sclavo Vaccines Association. We hereby state publicly that Sclavo Vaccines Association has had no editorial input in articles included in this Research Topic, thus ensuring that all aspects of this Research Topic are evaluated objectively, and unbiased by any specific policy or opinion of Sclavo Vaccines Association.
Please see Volume 1 here
Vaccination remains one of the most effective strategies to prevent and control a wide range of infectious diseases. The success of vaccines in eradicating or significantly reducing the prevalence of diseases such as smallpox, polio, and measles underscores the critical role they play in public health. As the field of vaccinology advances, the development and harmonization of assays and models to assess vaccine immunogenicity and identify correlates of protection are paramount.
Building on the success of the Research Topic Series “Development and Standardization of assays to assess immunogenicity and correlates of protection of vaccines against respiratory viral infections” (Volume 1), this Community Series Volume 2 we wish to extend this effort and compile the results of recent research efforts that are addressing these challenges in the field of respiratory viral infections.
The immunogenicity of a vaccine, which refers to its ability to elicit an immune response, is a crucial determinant of its efficacy. To accurately assess immunogenicity, a variety of assays are employed, including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), neutralization assays, and flow cytometry-based methods. These assays measure different aspects of the immune response, such as antibody titers, functional antibody activity, and T-cell responses. However, the variability in assay design, execution, and interpretation can lead to inconsistencies in immunogenicity data, complicating the comparison of results across different studies and vaccine candidates.
To address these challenges, harmonization of immunogenicity assays is essential. Standardizing protocols, reagents, and data analysis methods can enhance the reproducibility and comparability of results. International collaborations and consortia, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), play a pivotal role in establishing guidelines and frameworks for assay harmonization. These efforts facilitate regulatory approvals and accelerate the development and deployment of vaccines, especially during public health emergencies.
Identifying correlates of protection, which are measurable signs that a person is immune to an infection, is another critical aspect of vaccine development. Correlates of protection can include specific antibody levels, the presence of particular immune cells, or other biomarkers that are indicative of immunity. Establishing these correlates involves extensive clinical and preclinical studies, often requiring the integration of diverse data sources and advanced statistical models. Animal models, human challenge studies, and observational studies in vaccinated populations are key approaches used to elucidate these correlates.
The harmonization of models used to identify correlates of protection is equally important. Consistent use of validated in vitro models, animal models, and standardized human challenge protocols can improve the reliability of findings and their applicability to broader populations. Additionally, leveraging bioinformatics and systems biology approaches can provide deeper insights into the immune mechanisms underlying protection and aid in the identification of novel correlates.
Despite significant progress, several challenges remain. Variability in human populations, differences in pathogen strains, and evolving immune landscapes necessitate ongoing refinement of assays and models. Ethical considerations, particularly in human challenge studies, require careful management to ensure participant safety and informed consent.
In conclusion, the development and harmonization of assays and models to assess vaccine immunogenicity and correlates of protection are critical to advancing vaccine research and development. Standardized methodologies and collaborative efforts are essential to overcoming current challenges and enhancing the global capacity to respond to infectious disease threats. By fostering greater consistency and reliability in immunogenicity assessments, we can improve vaccine efficacy, streamline regulatory processes, and ultimately protect public health more effectively.
This research topic wishes to compile the results of original research aiming at the development and/or harmonization of assay methods to measure the humoral and cellular immune responses elicited by established and novel vaccines against pathogens causing respiratory infections. Reports on the development and harmonization of in vivo and in vitro models to establish correlates of protection and review articles on these topics are equally welcomed.
Ideally, these efforts will facilitate and improve ongoing and future vaccine research and development.
We welcome the submission of Original Research articles, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Perspective articles, Opinion articles, and Commentaries around the following topics, which include but are not limited to:
- Development and harmonization of in vitro assays to measure the humoral, cellular, or innate immune response to pathogens causing respiratory infections.
-Development and harmonization of in vitro or in vivo models, to define correlates of protection to to pathogens causing respiratory infections.
-Identification of innate, humoral, or cellular immune responses that correlate with protection against infection or severe disease caused by pathogens causing respiratory infections
-Identification of factors that influence or determine the quality or magnitude of innate, humoral, or cellular immune response to pathogens causing respiratory infections
We acknowledge the funding of the manuscripts published in this Research Topic by the Sclavo Vaccines Association. We hereby state publicly that Sclavo Vaccines Association has had no editorial input in articles included in this Research Topic, thus ensuring that all aspects of this Research Topic are evaluated objectively, and unbiased by any specific policy or opinion of Sclavo Vaccines Association.
Keywords: humoral or cellular immune responses, viral infections, immunogenicity, vaccines
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
