Recipient: Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften e.V. (Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science – MPG)
Funding: GO-Bio initial conceptual phase 4  (01/10/2023 to 30/09/2024, EUR 97,944.00)

Project description:

Interactions between proteins enable the normal function of biological cells. Protein surfaces control protein-protein interactions and are responsible for infections caused by pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. Antibodies primarily bind to proteins on the surface of pathogens or cancer cells. Vaccines can direct and train this defence mechanism by producing and releasing antibodies. These then neutralise and eliminate pathogens or tumour tissue. However, pathogens and cancers cleverly evade an effective immune response from the body. On the one hand, chemical changes on the surface of proteins protect them from recognition and binding by antibodies. On the other hand, so-called ‘decoy’ epitopes on the accessible surface tempt the immune system to produce non-neutralising antibodies. This prevents a successful defence against the pathogens. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has impressively demonstrated that rational strategies for the development of effective vaccines are urgently needed.

The project is developing powerful computational tools for the rational design of modified proteins. The tools can be used, for example, to systematically develop vaccine constructs, which can then be validated and refined. In this way vaccines can be developed that protect against a broad spectrum of corona viruses or other viruses such as HIV and Zika. This technology can additionally be used in cancer immunotherapy as well as for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and allergies.

In the GO-Bio initial exploratory phase a market and IP analysis will be carried out and a validation strategy will be developed.