Aim is to create more accessible vaccines with fewer side effects.
Syracuse University (SU) and the Serum Institute of India will partner to develop new oral vaccines against tetanus and rotavirus. The institute awarded $250,000 to SU.
The aim of the rotavirus research is to develop a vaccine that does not contain live bacteria and has fewer side effects. Research will also explore new ways to synthesize the rotavirus vaccine to make it more accessible to children in developing nations, according to the companies.
The challenge with the tetanus protein is to figure out how to package this large molecule, get it through the digestive system unharmed, and transport it through the wall of the small intestine where it can be absorbed into the bloodstream. The SU team will develop computerized models to predict the behavior of these molecules
“The simulations allow us to view the process and identify sticky ends of the proteins that could potentially be used as binding sites for transport molecules,” explains Damian Allis, research professor in the chemistry department who will create these models.
