Host-immune responses to vaccination and infection

The Schotsaert laboratory focuses on how host-immune responses to infection are affected by pre-existing immunity provided by previous infection and/or vaccination. We have previously shown that the host immune response to influenza infection and Staphylococcus superinfection is different in vaccinated versus unvaccinated mice, and can affect protection during reinfection (Choi et al., 2019, 2020). We are currently investigating the immunological mechanisms that underlie this immune skewing by vaccination with a strong focus on myeloid cell biology and Type 2 immunity.

We have established preclinical infection models for SARS-CoV-2 (Syrian Golden hamster and mice) to evaluate vaccines and adjuvants and to immunologically characterize host immune responses to vaccination and infection with the aim to find immune-correlates of protection (Rathnasinghe et al., 2020, Rathnasinghe, Jangra et al., 2021). We have established pipelines to study immune escape by SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern using microneutralization assays and animal vaccination/challenge models (Jangra et al., 2021).

More recently we also started studying the impact of comorbidities like advanced age, obesity and diabetes on the host immune response to infection and vaccination in the context of influenza and SARS-CoV-2 (Rathnasinghe, Jangra et al., 2021).

The Schotsaert laboratory uses its expertise in immunology and preclinical animal models to compare, characterize, validate and optimize new and existing adjuvants, antivirals and vaccines to which it has access through strategic collaborations.

All our publications in Pubmed can be found here

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