The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has awarded 14 contracts totaling more than $73 million to fund the Large-Scale Antibody and T Cell Epitope Discovery Program, an initiative aimed at quickly identifying the regions of selected infectious agents that elicit immune reactions. The study of these regions, known as epitopes, promises to uncover targets for new and improved vaccines, therapies and diagnostic tools against potential bioterror agents as well as emerging/re-emerging infectious diseases such as West Nile virus and influenza. NIAID will make information on each newly identified epitope freely available to scientists through a searchable online database currently under development.
Elucidating the basic mechanisms of immune function is a major focus of our biodefense research agenda, says Anthony S. Fauci, MD, director of NIAID. The information generated by this program will deepen our understanding of how components of the immune system defend against certain infectious agents, enabling researchers to design new and improved medical countermeasures.
Researchers have been conducting epitope discovery for many years, but generally on a small scale, says Daniel Rotrosen, MD, director of NIAIDs division of allergy, immunology and transplantation. This initiative, however, will yield new knowledge about antigenic epitopes from a wide variety of microbes, including agents that might be used in a bioterrorist attack.
Epitopes are recognized by the bodys B and T cells, white blood cells that detect an invading pathogen. Each B and T cell is specific for a particular antigen, meaning that each can only bind to a certain foreign molecular structure. This specificity is determined by the receptors on the surface of each cell.
Both B- and T-cell specificity as well as the diverse functions of these cells determine the effectiveness of an immune response. B cells produce antibodies, which bind to target antigens at their epitopes, eliminating the pathogens before infection can spread or marking them for destruction by other cells. T cells either destroy infected target cells, control inflammation or promote powerful antibody responses.
The Large-Scale Antibody and T Cell Epitope Discovery Program will increase knowledge of antibody and T-cell epitopes, which will facilitate the development of new medical tools to detect, prevent and treat infectious diseases. The institutions involved in the program and the principal investigator at each are:
Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25
June 30th 2025Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.
Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski
June 26th 2025In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.