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Vaccines
Special Issues
Challenges to Developing New Vaccines and Improving Existing Platforms
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Challenges to Developing New Vaccines and Improving Existing Platforms

A special issue of Vaccines (ISSN 2076-393X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 2264

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. S. Louise Cosby

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
2. Virology, Veterinary Sciences Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Belfast BT4 3SD, UK
Interests: pathogenic mechanisms of RNA viruses (morbilliviruses, respiratory syncytial virus, coronavirus); recombinant vaccine design; genetic markers of virus susceptibility and assessment in small/large animal models; paramyxoviruses; pathogenic mechanisms of measles virus; morbilliviruses; respiratory syncytial virus; coronavirus; vaccine design; vaccination
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The science community faces significant challenges in developing new vaccines and enhancing existing vaccine platforms for infectious diseases and cancer. This Special Issue will address the following aspects of vaccines and their development:

  • Vaccine delivery for human and animal species for infectious diseases and cancer.
  • Advances in vaccine design that provide broad protection and stimulate humoral and cellular immunity.
  • Combining inactivated and subunit vaccines with long-acting adjuvants to maximize their effectiveness.
  • Development of novel assays, e.g., omics-based approaches, to evaluate comprehensive and early responses to vaccination.
  • Overcoming obstacles in developing flavivirus vaccines, e.g., dengue viruses, addressing virus serotypes, and preventing antibody-dependent enhancement.

We eagerly anticipate your contributions.

Prof. Dr. S. Louise Cosby
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Vaccines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • infectious disease
  • cancer vaccines
  • humoral and cellular immunity
  • flaviviruses vaccines
  • inactivated and subunit vaccines
  • novel assays

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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22 pages, 2697 KiB  
Article
A Cyclic-di-AMP Adjuvanted CPAF Protein Vaccine Is Immunogenic in Swine, but It Fails to Reduce Genital Chlamydia trachomatis Burden
by Leonie Bettin, Maria Stadler, Christine Unterweger, Maximiliane Dippel, Jonathan M. Harris, Andrea Buzanich-Ladinig, Taylor B. Poston, Toni Darville and Tobias Käser
Vaccines 2025, 13(5), 468; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13050468 - 27 Apr 2025
Viewed by 1085
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) is the leading bacterial cause of sexually transmitted infection globally. If undiagnosed or left untreated, these infections can lead to serious complications such as infertility, ectopic pregnancies, and chronic pelvic pain. Despite the high prevalence and [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) is the leading bacterial cause of sexually transmitted infection globally. If undiagnosed or left untreated, these infections can lead to serious complications such as infertility, ectopic pregnancies, and chronic pelvic pain. Despite the high prevalence and potential for serious health complications, no vaccine has been licensed. Pigs offer a valuable biomedical model for chlamydia research: they have an overall high degree of similarity to humans and serve as natural hosts for Chlamydia suis (Cs), a close relative of Ct. Thus, in this study, the pig model was used to evaluate a vaccine candidate against Ct. Methods: The vaccine candidate consists of chlamydial-protease-like activity factor (CPAF) protein adjuvanted with STING (Stimulator of Interferon Genes) pathway agonist cyclic-di-AMP (c-di-AMP). Pigs received two doses intramuscularly followed by two intranasal doses. Each week, the systemic T cell response was assessed via IFN-γ and IL-17 ELISpots, as well as multi-parameter flow cytometry on 0, 14, and 28 days post vaccination (dpv). The humoral immune response was analyzed by measuring CPAF-specific antibody levels and avidity via ELISAs. Results: Vaccination with c-di-AMP adjuvanted CPAF triggered low-level systemic IFN-γ and multifunctional IFN-γ+TNF-α+ CD4 T cell responses. Despite the rather low systemic effector cytokine production, robust anti-CPAF IgG responses were detected in serum, vaginal swab eluates, and oviduct flushes. Genital Ct challenge 42 dpv resulted in only transient infection, precluding a confident assessment of vaccine efficacy of the tested CPAF/c-di-AMP vaccine candidate. However, after challenge, vaccinated pigs exhibited boosted systemic anti-CPAF IFN-γ and mucosal IgG responses compared to unvaccinated pigs. Conclusions: Thus, while vaccine efficacy remains elusive, the CPAF/c-di-AMP vaccine candidate was immunogenic: it elicited a low-level systemic cell-mediated response and robust humoral immune responses. Future studies will incorporate a STING agonist directly conjugated to CPAF as well as addition of other Th1-inducing adjuvants to enhance cellular immunity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges to Developing New Vaccines and Improving Existing Platforms)
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7 pages, 158 KiB  
Commentary
Strengthening National Regulatory Authorities in Africa: A Critical Step Towards Enhancing Local Manufacturing of Vaccines and Health Products
by Alemayehu Duga, Nebiyu Dereje, Mosoka Papa Fallah, Tedi Angasa, Abebe Genetu Bayih, Edinam Agbenu, Ngashi Ngongo, Raji Tajudeen and Jean Kaseya
Vaccines 2025, 13(6), 646; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13060646 - 16 Jun 2025
Viewed by 579
Abstract
The World Health Organization (WHO) Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) classifies regulatory systems into four maturity levels, with Maturity Level 3 (ML3) signifying a stable and effective regulatory environment. As of January 2025, eight African nations—Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and [...] Read more.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) classifies regulatory systems into four maturity levels, with Maturity Level 3 (ML3) signifying a stable and effective regulatory environment. As of January 2025, eight African nations—Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe—have attained ML3 status, marking a significant milestone in the continent’s regulatory landscape. Achieving ML3 confers critical benefits, including reducing substandard and falsified medicines, which enhances public health safety and fosters trust in healthcare systems. This progress encourages local manufacturing, diminishing reliance on imported medicines and promoting economic development. Furthermore, ML3 NRAs are better equipped to address public health emergencies, enabling swift approvals for vaccines and therapeutics while upholding safety standards. Nonetheless, challenges persist, including fragmented regulatory systems, the prevalence of counterfeit medicines, and limited resources. Overcoming these hurdles necessitates enhanced organizational capacity, investments in training, and the promotion of collaboration among NRAs. There is an urgent call for greater political commitment and resource allocation to strengthen regulatory systems across Africa. Achieving and maintaining ML3 status is essential for enhancing medicine regulation, supporting local manufacturing, and improving public health outcomes across the continent. While progress has been made, sustained efforts are crucial to tackling existing challenges and harnessing the full potential of advanced regulatory frameworks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges to Developing New Vaccines and Improving Existing Platforms)
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