Concept and application of a computational vaccinology workflow

Area of Science:

• Vaccinology
• Immunoinformatics
• Systems Biology
• Computational Biology

Background:

• The vaccine field is experiencing a resurgence, driven by needs in infectious, cancerous, and autoimmune diseases.
• Technological advancements in nano-scale delivery and adjuvants are crucial.
• Immunoinformatics has matured, enabling rational vaccine design through computational approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a computational workflow for rational vaccine design using computational vaccinology.
• To cover aspects from target identification to epitope selection, integrating systems biology.
• To exemplify the workflow using Epstein Barr Virus (EBV).

Main Methods:

• Developed the pBone/pView computational workflow for immunoinformatics modules.
• Utilized Systems Biology to assess host-pathogen interactions for target identification.
• Employed methodologies for delineating B- and T-cell epitopes with broad coverage considerations.

Main Results:

• The pBone/pView workflow supports design, execution, visualization, and reuse of immunoinformatics modules.
• Identified specific viral proteins (LMP2, EBNA2, BALF4) from Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) as potential vaccine targets.
• Proposed B- and T-cell epitopes with promising broad strain and MHC allele coverage for EBV.

Conclusions:

• Advancements in omics technologies and immunoinformatics provide a foundation for rational vaccine design.
• The integration of computational vaccinology, novel formulations, and delivery systems addresses unmet vaccine challenges.
• Computational vaccinology enables the design of effective vaccines against complex diseases.