MUSSE

Professors David Jackson and Roy Robins-Browne

University of Melbourne scientist and Head of Microbiology and Immunology Professor Roy Robins-Browne, his colleague Professor David Jackson and their team have been awarded a $US100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which provides seed funding for research into new treatments and technologies to tackle infectious disease.

The team are working on a prototype vaccine against diarrhoea-causing bacteria in the developing world.

“The key target of the vaccine is a toxin produced by E. coli bacteria that causes diarrhoea in children in less developed countries, and in travellers to those countries,” Professor Robins-Browne explained.

“We tested a prototype of the vaccine late last year and it elicited an immune response in laboratory animals. However, we still need to determine if it will protect animals and people against diarrhoea caused by this particular variety of E. coli”

Surface structure of ST Toxin

Professor David Jackson and his team devised a strategy to make the toxin antigenic by linking it to a short protein sequence that is recognised by lymphocytes and also to a lipid-based immuno-stimulatory molecule.

In keeping with the objectives of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the target population of the vaccine is children in less developed countries. However, it may also be effective in adult travellers from developed to less developed countries, and the grant money will be used to produce different vaccine prototypes.

“If the vaccine is safe and effective in animals we will need to test it in people. If everything goes to plan it could be ready in around three to four years.” Professor Robins-Browne explained.

‘Grand Challenges-Explorations’ grants foster creative projects that show great promise to improve the health of people in the developing world. Initial grants are awarded twice a year, and successful projects have the opportunity to receive additional funding of $1 million or more.