Development of Hepatitis B surface antigen as a generic vector for the delivery of foreign CTL epitopes. [ 2006 - 2008 ]

Research Grant

Researchers: Prof Robert Tindle (Principal investigator) ,  Prof Eric Gowans

Brief description Many kinds of cancer and infections display unique proteins which the body's immune system can recognise as ' foreign', and mount an immune response which, if correctly harnessed, will kill the cancer or infected cells . A way to harness the immune response is to vaccinate with these unique proteins. However, new ways need to be found to deliver the unique proteins to produce the maximal possible anti- cancer or pathogen response, and one that is long lived. In particular one needs to stimulate the cellular arm of the immune response to produce killer cells named CTLs which specifically kill cancer or infected cells. In this project we plan to use an already-licensed human vaccine - the Hepatitis B surface antigen vaccine , or HBsAG, - and genetically modify it to contain important regions of cancer or pathogen proteins termed 'epitopes'. We surmise that immunisation with these modified HBsAg will elicit powerful CTL responses which will killer cancer or infected cells.

Funding Amount $AUD 439,642.61

Funding Scheme NHMRC Project Grants

Notes Standard Project Grant