This book introduces nanoparticles as a powerful platform for vaccine design. Current challenges in vaccine development are discussed and the unique advantages nanoparticles provide in overcoming these challenges are explored. The authors offer fascinating insights into the immunological assets of using nanoparticles as delivery vehicles or adjuvants and present different materials that are being used in nanoparticle-based vaccine development, covering peptides, proteins, polymers, virus-like particles, and liposomes. Its contemporary research insights and practical examples for applications make this volume an inspiring read for researchers and clinicians in vaccinology and immunology. Chapter "Liposome Formulations as Adjuvants for Vaccines" is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

Currently, the only anthrax vaccine licensed for human use in the United States is the Anthrax-vaccine-absorbed (AVA or Biothrax). AVA suffers from several drawbacks, including a complicated and lengthy dosing schedule that requires six initial injections administered over eighteen months, followed by annual boosters. Therefore, a new generation anthrax vaccine that can be easily administered for rapid mass immunization and induce strong immune responses not only against the anthrax protective antigen protein, but also against the other virulent factors of Bacillus anthracis. To address these needs, a prototypic triantigen nasal anthrax vaccine candidate that contains a truncated PA (rPA63), the anthrax lethal factor (LF), and the capsular poly-[gamma]-D-glutamic acid ([gamma]DPGA) as the antigens and a synthetic double-stranded RNA, polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic (pI:C) acid as the adjuvant. This study identified the optimal dose of nasal pI:C in mice, as well as showed that pI:C enhanced the proportion of dendritic cells (DCs) in local draining lymph nodes (LNs) and stimulated DC maturation. The [gamma]DPGA was shown to be immunogenic when conjugated to a carrier protein and dosed intranasally to mice. Further, the anti-PGA antibodies (Abs) were shown to be functional because they were able to activate complement and kill PGA-producing bacteria. Nasal immunization with LF alone and PA alone induced strong, functional anti-LF and anti-PA Abs. Nasal immunization of mice with the prototypic tri-antigen vaccine candidate induced strong immune responses against all three antigens. The immune responses protected macrophages against an anthrax lethal toxin challenge in vitro and enabled the immunized mice to survive a lethal dose of anthrax lethal toxin challenge in vivo. When used as a nasal vaccine adjuvant, pI:C is generally considered to be safe. However, repeated high doses of pI:C tended to induce some side effects, including fever and abnormal liver functions. Therefore, new adjuvants are constantly being sought. Over the past several decades, an accumulation of research has demonstrated the usefulness of nanoparticles as antigen carriers with adjuvant activity. A novel lecithin-based nanoparticle was engineered from emulsions. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and PA proteins were covalently conjugated onto the nanoparticles. Mice immunized with BSA conjugated nanoparticles developed strong anti-BSA Ab responses comparable to that induced by BSA adjuvanted with incomplete Freund's adjuvant and 6.5-fold stronger than that induced by BSA adsorbed onto aluminum hydroxide. Immunization of mice with the PA-conjugated nanoparticles elicited a quick, strong, and durable anti-PA Ab response that afforded protection of the mice against a lethal dose of anthrax lethal toxin challenge. The adjuvanticity of the nanoparticles was likely due to their ability to move antigens into local draining LNs, to enhance the uptake of the antigens by antigen-presenting cells (APCs), and to activate APCs. Most vaccines require cold-chain refrigeration for storage and distribution. A major challenge in the vaccine development field is to develop formulations that do not require refrigeration. The most commonly used process in the pharmaceutical field to convert vaccine suspensions into solids of sufficient stability for distribution and storage is lyophilization. Using 5% of mannitol plus 1% of polyvinylpyrrolidone, the immunogenicity of the lyophilized protein conjugated nanoparticles (BSA-NPs or PA-NPS) was found to be undamaged after a relatively extended period of storage at room temperature or under accelerated conditions (37°C).

This book provides a comprehensive overview of how use of micro- and nanotechnology (MNT) has allowed major new advance in vaccine development research, and the challenges that immunologists face in making further progress. MNT allows the creation of particles that exploit the inherent ability of the human immune system to recognize small particles such as viruses and toxins. In combination with minimal protective epitope design, this permits the creation of immunogenic particles that stimulate a response against the targeted pathogen. The finely tuned response of the human immune system to small particles makes it unsurprising that many of the lead adjuvants and vaccine delivery systems currently under investigation are based on nanoparticles. - Provides a comprehensive and unparalleled overview of the role of micro- and nanotechnology in vaccine development - Allows researchers to quickly familiarize themselves with the broad spectrum of vaccines and how micro- and nanotechnologies are applied to their development - Includes a combination of overview chapters setting out general principles, and focused content dealing with specific vaccines, making it useful to readers from a variety of disciplines

Exploring an Emerging Technique of Nanotechnology in Vaccine Design and Manufacturing to combat SARS-CoV-2. Nanoparticles are loosely defined as nanoscale-sized and tunable particulate structures that mimic structural features of natural viruses. Besides traditional vaccine modalities and DNA and vector-based vaccines, nanoparticle vaccines offer a unique opportunity to advance vaccine science and provide tractable solutions to the current pandemic and beyond. This adaptive design makes them highly promising platforms for next-generation vaccine development, providing pathways to drive strong nAb responses, or broader antibody-based immunity that might better account for variation and evolution of viral pathogens. COVID-19 has become a major cause of global mortality and driven massive health and economic disruptions. At present, over 26 nanoparticle vaccine candidates have advanced into clinical testing, with ∼60 more in pre-clinical development. Hence an attempt has been made in this Booklet to explore the emerging technique of nanotechnology in vaccine design and manufacturing to combat SARS-CoV-2, and highlight opportunities and challenges presented by these novel vaccine platforms. …Dr. H. K. Saboowala. M.B.(Bom) .M.R.S.H.(London)

In this book, expert international authors critically review the current cutting-edge research in vaccine design and development. Particular emphasis is given to new approaches and technologies.

This book provides a compilation of the current developments in mucosal nanovaccines, which are an attractive approach to fight against infectious and non-communicable diseases. Since nanomaterials possess unique properties; many of them have a positive effect on vaccine efficacy when used as antigen carriers and have been applied in vaccinology with significant advances over the past years. This book addresses the methodologies for mucosal nanovaccines synthesis; based on the following nanomaterials: gold, PLGA, silica, and chitosan nanoparticles; as well as nanogels, carbon nanotubes, liposomes, and Virus-like particles. A description of the immunogenic properties of the mucosal nanovaccines is presented, highlighting the improvements achieved with this approach when compared to conventional formulations. Mucosal vaccines constitute the most practical immunization approach since they are easy to administer (promoting patient ́s comfort and increasing compliance), allow triggering relevant immune responses at both the site of administration and distant compartments, and thus may protect the main entry portal for pathogens (oral, nasal, and genital mucosae). In this context, the potential of nanovaccines to result in new mucosal formulations in the benefit of global health is analyzed. Covers the synthesis and functionalization of nanomaterials for the development of nanovaccines; Discusses the underlying mechanisms involved in the induction of immune responses through mucosal compartments and the advantages of nanomaterials in the formulation of nanovaccines; Transmits the state of the art for the development of mucosal nanovaccines; Provides routes for the design and evaluation of mucosal nanovaccines; Presents key perspectives for the field of mucosal vaccine development.

Recent years have seen the development of novel technologies that use nanoparticles and microparticles to deliver vaccines by the oral and microneedle-based transdermal route of administration. These new technologies enable the formulation of vaccine particles containing vaccine antigens, without loss of their biological activity during the formula

A comprehensive discussion of various types of nanoengineered biomaterials and their applications In Nanoengineering of Biomaterials: Drug Delivery & Biomedical Applications, an expert team of chemists delivers a succinct exploration of the synthesis, characterization, in-vitro and in-vivo drug molecule release, pharmacokinetic activity, pharmacodynamic activity, and the biomedical applications of several types of nanoengineered biomaterials. The editors have also included resources to highlight the most current developments in the field. The book is a collection of valuable and accessible reference sources for researchers in materials chemistry and related disciplines. It uses a functions-directed approach to using organic and inorganic source compounds that translate into biological systems as scaffolds, micelles, dendrimers, and other delivery systems. Nanoengineering of Biomaterials offers readers up-to-date chemistry and material science insights that are readily transferrable to biomedical systems. The book also includes: Thorough introductions to alginate nanoparticle delivery of therapeutics and chitosan-based nanomaterials in biological applications Comprehensive explorations of nanostructured carrageenan as a drug carrier, gellan gum nanoparticles in drug delivery, and guar-gum nanoparticles in the delivery of bioactive molecules Practical discussions of protein-based nanoparticles for drug delivery, solid lipid nanoparticles as drug carriers, and pH-responsive nanoparticles in therapy In-depth examinations of stimuli-responsive nano carriers in drug targeting Perfect for pharmaceutical chemists, materials scientists, polymer chemists, life scientists, and medicinal chemists, Nanoengineering of Biomaterials: Drug Delivery and Biomedical Applications is also an indispensable resource for biologists and bioengineers seeking a one-stop reference on the transferability of materials chemistry and nanotechnology to biomedicine.

The most recent Ebola epidemic that began in late 2013 alerted the entire world to the gaps in infectious disease emergency preparedness and response. The regional outbreak that progressed to a significant public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) in a matter of months killed 11,310 and infected more than 28,616. While this outbreak bears some unique distinctions to past outbreaks, many characteristics remain the same and contributed to tragic loss of human life and unnecessary expenditure of capital: insufficient knowledge of the disease, its reservoirs, and its transmission; delayed prevention efforts and treatment; poor control of the disease in hospital settings; and inadequate community and international responses. Recognizing the opportunity to learn from the countless lessons of this epidemic, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a workshop in March 2015 to discuss the challenges to successful outbreak responses at the scientific, clinical, and global health levels. Workshop participants explored the epidemic from multiple perspectives, identified important questions about Ebola that remained unanswered, and sought to apply this understanding to the broad challenges posed by Ebola and other emerging pathogens, to prevent the international community from being taken by surprise once again in the face of these threats. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.