Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 7, 2026

08:07
A "Plug-And-Display" Nanoparticle Vaccine Platform Based on Outer Membrane Vesicles Displaying SARS-CoV-2 Receptor-Binding Domain
Published on: July 25, 2022
Structural vaccinology: a three-dimensional view for vaccine development.
Roberta Cozzi1, Maria Scarselli, Ilaria Ferlenghi
1Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, Siena, Italy. ilaria.ferlenghi@novartis.com.
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry
|September 27, 2013
Summary
Structural Vaccinology (SV) advances vaccine development by combining genomics and structural biology. This approach optimizes antigens for improved immunogenicity, safety, and broader protection against pathogens.
Area of Science:
- Vaccinology
- Structural Biology
- Immunology
Background:
- Reverse Vaccinology (RV) utilizes genome-based strategies for vaccine development.
- Structural Vaccinology (SV) builds upon RV by integrating structural biology for antigen design.
- Antigenic variation poses challenges for traditional vaccine efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and elaborate on the Structural Vaccinology (SV) approach.
- To highlight the objectives of structure-based antigen optimization in vaccine design.
- To showcase the application of SV in developing improved vaccines.
Main Methods:
- Genome-based antigen identification.
- Structural biology for antigen re-design and simplification.
- Rational structure-based antigen optimization.
Main Results:
- SV facilitates industrial-scale production of antigen combinations.
- Optimized antigens demonstrate enhanced immunogenicity and safety profiles.
- SV broadens protection against pathogens, including those with antigenic variation.
Conclusions:
- Structural Vaccinology represents a significant advancement in rational vaccine design.
- SV offers a powerful framework for developing next-generation vaccines against diverse pathogens.
- This approach addresses key challenges in vaccine manufacturing and efficacy.
Related Concept Videos
Vaccines
Vaccines are among the most effective tools in preventive medicine, designed to prepare the immune system to recognize and combat infectious agents. By introducing antigens—substances that the immune system identifies as foreign—vaccines stimulate an adaptive immune response that leads to immunological memory. This immunological memory enables the body to mount a faster and more effective response upon future exposures to the actual pathogen.Vaccines can be categorized based on the type of...
Vaccinations
Overview
Vaccine Production
Vaccine production involves a sequence of upstream and downstream processes to generate a safe and effective immunological product. It begins with cultivating microorganisms, such as viruses or bacteria, to obtain antigenic material. For viral vaccines, mammalian host cells are grown in bioreactors and subsequently infected with the target virus. The virus replicates within the host cells, which are lysed to release viral particles. This lysate is then clarified through filtration or...
Cancer Vaccines
Cancer treatment vaccines are a rapidly evolving field that offers a promising approach to immunotherapy. Unlike traditional vaccines that prevent diseases, cancer treatment vaccines are designed to treat existing cancers by stimulating the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...
Human Virome
The human body harbors a vast and diverse viral community known as the human virome. The virome includes bacteriophages that infect bacteria, and eukaryotic viruses that infect human cells. Transient dietary and environmental viruses also contribute to this dynamic ecosystem. Estimates suggest the human body may contain on the order of 10¹³ viral particles, though abundance varies widely by body site and detection method.Comprehensive characterization of the virome has become possible only with...
Three-Dimensional Microscopy in Microbiology
Three-dimensional imaging techniques are essential in cell biology, allowing researchers to visualize intricate cellular structures with high resolution. Two prominent methods, Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy (DIC) and Confocal Scanning Laser Microscopy (CSLM), provide distinct advantages for imaging live and thick specimens, respectively.Differential Interference Contrast MicroscopyDIC microscopy enhances contrast in transparent, unstained samples by converting phase...

