Entebbe, 12th December 2023 - The Unit is pleased to announce the launch of new efforts in the global move to end Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever in humans and animals. Led by scientists at the Uganda Virus Research Institute and the MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, the two-year collaborative study titled "Advancing Vaccine Development: Harnessing Multiple Antigenic Epitopes for Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever(CCHF) in Humans and Animals" will bring together both national and international note-worthy scientists to address the critical challenges posed by Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), a severe zoonotic viral disease that has triggered outbreaks across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. With a global mortality rate of up to 11%, CCHF lacks specific antiviral drugs or approved vaccines.
The collaboration will benefit from expertise in human and primate studies from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (COVAB) based at Makerere University and the California National Primate Research Center (CNPRC).
According to Professor Pontiano Kaleebu, the Unit Director, head of the viral pathogens research theme and co-principal investigator on the study says that the study will be implemented in three key phases. “First, we'll create essential immunogens for the vaccine. Next, we'll build the adenovector CCHFV candidate by incorporating these immunogens. The final step includes preclinical studies in mice and primates, validating the vaccine using reference CAV2 and hAD5 backbones combined with the vaccine construct.”
Anticipated Impact
The resultant vaccine is expected to effectively target infections in both humans and animals, contributing to reduced mortality and morbidity, prevention of outbreaks, alleviation of healthcare system burdens and overall improved quality of life. Furthermore, the project is poised to enhance preparedness and response capabilities for emerging infectious diseases, thereby bolstering global health security.
Dr. Sheila N. Balinda, a molecular virologist, leader of the Unit’s vaccines for viruses research group in the Unit’s vaccine research theme and Principal investigator on the study says, “Developing a vaccine that targets both humans and animals has the potential to prevent infection in animals, which are the natural reservoirs for CCHF, thus interrupting the transmission cycle and control spread to humans. At the same time, it will also prevent infections in humans. This ‘One Health’ approach has the potential to lead to improved control and prevention of CCHF at a public health level.”
This research is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care as part of the UK Vaccine Network (UKVN), a UK Aid programme to develop vaccines for diseases with epidemic potential in low and middle-income countries (LMICs).
About the UK Vaccine Network:
The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) is the UK Government department responsible for helping people to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. This investment is part of the UK Vaccine Network (UKVN). UKVN was established to provide funding to support the development of promising vaccines and vaccine technologies that will help combat infectious diseases that have epidemic potential in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). UKVN is an UK Aid investment, which means all projects funded must support research primarily and directly for the benefit of people in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
About The Collaborating Institutions:
The MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit is an internationally recognized centre of excellence for research and training. Its mission is to conduct high-quality research that adds knowledge and leads to improved control of infectious and non-communicable diseases in Uganda, Africa and globally, through translation of scientific findings into policy and practice, and rigorous research capacity building.
Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI)
UVRI is a world-class center of excellence in health research pertaining to human infections and disease processes associated with or linked to viral etiology and provides expert advice, enables partnerships and communication, and serves as a center for training and education. It contributes to knowledge, policy, and practice and builds capacity.
College of Veterinary Medicine Animal resources and Biosecurity (COVAB) - Makerere University
The College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio-security (COVAB) is committed to nurturing citizens to become productive, entrepreneurial, job creators, skilled and with sufficient capacity to transform the existing challenges in the animal resources world into economic and livelihood opportunities.
California National Primate Research Center(CNPRC)
The CNPRC is a part of the National Primate Research Centers Program and is dedicated to improving human and animal health. The CNPRC is one of seven such centers supported by the National Institutes of Health. The National Primate Research Centers are a unique resource for investigators studying human health and disease, offering the opportunity to assess the causes of disease, and new treatment methods in nonhuman primate models that closely recapitulate humans. Research performed at the CNPRC and other National Primate Research Centers provides necessary information before proceeding to clinical trials in humans, leading to new drugs, therapies and surgical procedures that benefit human health and quality of life
ABOUT THE KEY SCIENTISTS:
Dr. Sheila Nina Balinda, BSc, MSc, PhD (Study PI) is a Molecular Virologist at the MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, with vast experience in One Health. She is part of the virus surveillance team, whose research work will inform priority immunogens for HIV-1 vaccine development and bnAB prevention approaches targeted to specific populations in Africa and India.
In 2001, Sheila completed her degree in biochemistry at Makerere University in Uganda and was later a Chevening scholar in applied molecular microbiology at Nottingham University, UK graduating in 2005. In 2011, Dr. Balinda attained a doctorate in molecular virology from Makerere University studying foot & mouth disease virus. Dr. Balinda then joined the research team at Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) Uganda as project manager developing low-cost HIV-1 drug resistance tests for adult and pediatric cohorts. She completed her postdoctoral research funded by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) under its Vaccine Immunology Science and Technology for Africa project (VISTA). This work contributed to the initial characterization of HIV-1 transmitted founder viruses of subtypes A, D and A/D in Uganda. Further, Dr. Balinda is a recipient of the SANTHE “path–to–independence” and the IAVI/Investigator initiated Research (IIR) capacity–building awards in which several graduate Master of Science Students were mentored. Dr. Balinda now leads a team of Ugandan researchers developing and characterising a novel adeno–vector for vaccine development, funded by the Government of Uganda.
Prof. Pontiano Kaleebu (Study Co-PI) is the Director of the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) and Director of MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit. He is a professor of immunovirology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and heads the Viral Pathogens Theme of the Unit.
He holds a medical degree from Makerere University and a PhD from the University of London. He is a Fellow of Royal College of Physicians-Edinburgh, a Fellow of Imperial College London, Faculty of Medicine, a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences of United Kingdom, a Fellow of the Uganda National Academy of Sciences and a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences. His main research interests are viral vaccine research including understanding protective immune responses in relationship to viral diversity, transmission, and disease progression. He is also actively involved in studies of HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) having led the initial development of the national HIVDR plan.
He has co-authored more than 360 publications in scientific journals and book chapters. He sits on many national and international committees including those of WHO, Africa CDC, USA NIH and EU-EDCTP. He chairs the HIV drug resistance Technical Working group under the Ministry of Health, he chairs the National COVID-19 Laboratory Quality Assurance Committee, sits on the Ministry of Health COVID-19 Scientific Advisory Committee and COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory committee. He has trained and mentored many students and scientists.
Contact: press@mrcuganda.org for enquiries about the study and interviews with the study leads.
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