Location: Endemic Poultry Viral Diseases Research
Project Number: 6040-32000-083-027-A
Project Type: Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Dec 1, 2024
End Date: Dec 31, 2025
Objective:
(1) Design and test mRNA vaccines encoding the spike protein of IBV and glycoprotein B of ILTV, and (2) Perform safety and efficacy studies in chickens to evaluate immunological response and protection after challege with pathogenic challenge of each virus.
Approach:
We propose to (i) design mRNAS encoding the spike of the GA08 genotype and glycoprotein B of the virulent strain 63140 of ILTV (ii) determine the expression level of the mRNA constructs in vitro (iii) conduct safety studies usinf intramuscular administration of the candidate mRNAs and (iv) homosubtypic and heterosubtypic challenge experiments will be conducted in one-day-old chickens. The innate immune response will be measured using qRT-PCR assays. ELISA and microneutralization will be used to measure igG and IgA concentrations in serum, and tracheobronchial washings, and flow cytometry for CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells count.
