The Centre for Vaccinology: An Integrated Cross-Disciplinary Approach to Vaccine Discovery and Evaluation

The research program that will be undertaken through the Clinical Research Chair in Vaccines will focus on the research themes of discovery and evaluation including training the next generation of vaccinologists. The Chair will direct research at the Center for Vaccinology at Dalhousie University and the IWK Health Centre, bringing together researchers from diverse disciplines with a single purpose: to enhance vaccine discovery and facilitate vaccine evaluation and utilization. The Chair will facilitate the interaction and coordination of specialists in pediatric and internal medicine infectious diseases, epidemiology, statistics, nursing, health law, health policy and bioethics. The research program will focus on needle-free immunization systems targeting the mucosal immune systems for protection against important human respiratory pathogens. Strategies will be pursued for single dose immunization providing protection against multiple pathogens. Novel vaccines will be moved from the discovery phase into small and animal models and onward into human use through clinical trials including studies in a new vaccine challenge unit, currently not available anywhere in Canada. Studies will be undertaken to further explore the epidemiology of vaccine preventable diseases and to identify important targets for new vaccines. Public perceptions and attitudes about the novel technology will be determined including ethical, legal and health policy implications and integrated with the discovery and evaluation programs. A particular emphasis will be placed on exploring better ways to protect the newborn including pre-conception, during pregnancy, and immediate post-partum immunization of the mother and neonate.