Tom Moore
Academic and research departments
Section of Immunology, Section of Virology, School of Biosciences, School of Mathematics and Physics.About
My research project
Use of Ionising Radiation for the Development of Vaccines Against Zika Virus and Respiratory Syncytial VirusInvestigating the feasibility of using radiation to inactivate viral RNA for vaccine formulation. Ionizing radiation could provide an alternative option with significant benefits compared to current vaccine formulations. The concept relies on inactivating the virus by damaging its RNA material without destroying the key epitopes or its structural integrity therefore retaining the full breadth of antigen targets for vaccine development.
Supervisors
Investigating the feasibility of using radiation to inactivate viral RNA for vaccine formulation. Ionizing radiation could provide an alternative option with significant benefits compared to current vaccine formulations. The concept relies on inactivating the virus by damaging its RNA material without destroying the key epitopes or its structural integrity therefore retaining the full breadth of antigen targets for vaccine development.
Areas of specialism
My qualifications
Affiliations and memberships
Teaching
Demonstrating:
BMS2045 - Introduction to Immunology
Supervision:
Ollie Milton - Final year research project student
Publications
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is associated with considerable healthcare burden; as such, prevention and treatment of RSV have long been considered a priority. Historic failures in RSV vaccine development had slowed the research field. However, the discovery of the conformational change in the RSV fusion protein (F) has led to considerable advancements in the field. The RSV pharmaceutical landscape has drastically changed in recent years with successful trials of both vaccines and second-generation mAbs leading to licensing and roll-out of these agents in several countries. RSV preventative and therapeutic measures will likely have a significant impact on RSV-related morbidity and mortality. However, there are still gaps in the protection that these immunizations offer that should be addressed. Many unanswered questions about RSV infection dynamics and subsequent disease should be a focus of ongoing research. This review discusses the currently licensed RSV pharmaceuticals and others that have recently progressed to clinical trials.