Vaccines & Immune Biology

Charles Sande of the African Research Collaboration for Health (ARCH) in Kenya will build on their existing SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance work covering the six counties of Coastal Kenya to identify new SARS-CoV-2 variants and evaluate their sensitivity to existing vaccines. Daily naso- and oropharyngeal samples from suspected COVID 19 cases will be processed for PCR testing and genome sequencing to identify any new SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Peter Quashie of the University of Ghana, West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens in Ghana will determine the impact of SARS-CoV-2 viral variants and their susceptibility to neutralization by vaccine-induced and naturally-acquired immunity to better manage pandemic control in Ghana. They will evaluate over 600 existing plasma samples taken at multiple timepoints from both vaccinated and unvaccinated COVID-19 patients with associated SARS-CoV-2 sequencing data to identify the viral variants, and additional samples as new variants emerge.

Pontiano Kaleebu of the Uganda Virus Research Institute in Uganda will expand their genome surveillance platform to monitor the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 variants in Uganda to help inform timely public health decisions and the development of diagnostics and vaccines. They will obtain geographically-representative COVID-19 patient samples for genomic sequencing, as well as samples from strategic sites including points of entry, where several variants have emerged.

Christian Happi of Redeemer's University in Nigeria will assess the impact and risks of emerging SARS-CoV-2 virus variants in Africa, which are threatening vaccination efforts. They will produce viral pseudotypes using genomic sequences of around ten SARS-CoV-2 variants-of-concern that are dominant in Africa.

Our goal is to engineer thermostable microneedle (MN) patches to deliver tetanus vaccine. Instead of expecting pregnant women from remote areas to travel far for vaccination, we propose to provide microneedle patches designed to be applied to skin like a skin plaster. Their small size, and lack of vaccine reconstitution, improves on standard practice. MNs are formulated to dissolve releasing the vaccine quickly, with no biohazard sharp waste.

Itoro Ata of the Solina Center for International Development and Research in Nigeria will implement a program to support unemployed mothers in Nigeria by linking education on the importance of vaccinations with vocational skills education and training to improve immunization coverage. Many rural areas in Nigeria have consistently low rates of routine immunization and large populations of unemployed, stay-at-home mothers whose children are at risk of vaccine-preventable disease.

Olukemi Amodu, Mofeyisara Omobowale and Folakemi Amodu of the University of Ibadan College of Medicine in Nigeria will develop a three-part intervention to provide more convenient and accessible vaccinations for children of working mothers to increase the timeliness and completion of childhood vaccinations. Despite education campaigns, the demand for childhood vaccination in Nigeria is low, partly because working mothers have limited time to attend vaccination clinics.

Joseph Tucker of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom will hold a national crowdsourcing contest to develop a social media-based intervention to improve confidence in childhood vaccines and boost coverage in China. Expert-driven strategies have been launched to promote vaccination coverage in China, but have had limited effect. As an alternative approach, they will apply crowdsourcing to tap into the knowledge of individuals to design a more effective, online intervention.

Chijioke Kaduru of Corona Management Systems in Nigeria will use a human-centered approach to develop a community theater production that showcases real stories to educate caregivers on the value of vaccinations and increase childhood vaccine coverage. Almost half of caregivers in Nigeria lack awareness of the value of vaccines, which has increased the incidence of childhood diseases.

Andrew Seal of the Institute for Global Health and Development in the United Kingdom will test whether traditional female social groups in Somalia can adopt a participatory learning and action (PLA) approach to improve vaccine knowledge and coverage in humanitarian settings. Vaccine-preventable diseases are prevalent in Somalia; measles is the leading cause of death in children under five, yet less than 40% of children are immunized. This is due in part to lack of knowledge about the benefits of vaccination.