Assist. Prof. Dr. Çiğdem Yılmaz Çolak’s new project entitled ‘The development of a next-generation vaccine against Bordetella pertussis’ was accepted by TÜSEB Group B R&D Project Call.

Whooping cough (pertussis), characterized by severe coughing fits, is a highly contagious respiratory disease whose main causative agent is Bordetella pertussis. Despite being a vaccine-preventable disease, outbreaks are still observed in many countries, and it can result in death, especially in newborns and infants. The vaccination against pertussis is included in the national immunization program of every country, and acellular pertussis vaccines are widely used to immunize infants and children worldwide. The effectiveness of the current vaccines wanes over time due to several reasons, necessitating the development of more effective protective measures. Comprehensive studies are being conducted in the world on the discovery of new antigens and adjuvants to formulate new pertussis vaccines.

Reverse vaccinology is one of the next-generation vaccine strategies that enables the discovery of potential antigenic proteins of pathogens using computer-based algorithms without growing them in a culture-dependent environment. Using the power of computational biology and immunoinformatics, reverse vaccinology allows researchers to uncover potential antigens in a fast and cost-effective manner. The current project aims to employ reverse vaccinology for the development of a next-generation vaccine against B. pertussis. Within this scope, a chimeric antigen will be designed and formulated with novel adjuvants for vaccination. Animal models will be used for intranasal immunization studies, and both systemic and mucosal immune responses will be evaluated in terms of the protective efficacy of vaccine formulation. Project outcomes are expected to expand the antigen arsenal against B. pertussis and highlight the importance of mucosal immunity for respiratory pathogens.