VaxTech
Project: Developing innovative delivery systems for mucosal vaccination against Helicobacter pylori
Collaborating departments: School of Medicine and Health (TUM); Department of Health Technology (DTU)
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the most common chronic bacterial infection, affecting half of the world’s population, and the main cause of gastric cancer. Once H. pylori has colonized its niche in the gastric mucosa, it can persist for decades, inducing a mostly asymptomatic, chronic inflammation that can further lead to the development of gastric and duodenal ulcers, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, and finally result in gastric adenocarcinoma. Standard-of-care for H. pylori is still antibiotic combination therapy. However, treatment of H. pylori infection is hampered by rising antimicrobial resistance. The development of an efficacious mucosal vaccine is a valid alternative and must aim at inducing strong mucosal immunity to prevent transmission. Thus, the main goal of the project is to develop innovative delivery systems for an H. pylori mucosal vaccine to target antigen and adjuvant to mucosal antigen-presenting cells in the gastrointestinal tract. With this approach, we will improve mucosal vaccine design to finally induce mucosal immune responses required for long-term protection.
Team
Coordinating Postdoc
Dr. rer. nat. Verena Friedrich
Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und Hygiene | TUM
Doctoral Candidate
Cora Mibus
Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und Hygiene | TUM
Doctoral Candidate
David Plaza Fargas
Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und Hygiene | TUM
Principal Investigator
Prof. Dr. med. Markus Gerhard
Assistant Director Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene | TUM
Principal Investigator
Prof. Dr. Anja Boisen
Department of Health Technology - Section Drug Delivery and Sensing | DTU