Use of mimotope vaccine technology to develop vaccines against bacterial pathogens

The objective of this research proposal is to further prove the concept that peptide mimics of the protective epitopes of PI-LPS are sufficient to confer protective immunity against C. burnetii aerosol infection. As a subcontract, Dr. Zhang will provide expert advice and guidance in experimental designing, data interpretation and problems solving as needed by ZenVax LLC in support of this project. In order to facilitate the ZenVax LLC’s effort to develop a mimotope vaccine against Q fever, Dr. Zhang will also provide expertise in immunizing mice with vaccine candidates and analyzing antibody response to aerosolized Coxiella burnetii and to vaccination. Dr. Zhang’s team will use a C. burnetii aerosol infection of mouse model to define an optimized Q fever mimotope vaccine that is sufficient to confer protection against C. burnetti aerosol challenge. Task 1 will use multivalent mimotopes of PI-LPS to enhance the protective efficacy of the monovalent mimotope vaccine against C. burnetii aerosol infection in mice. Task 2 will determine if mimotope vaccine can confer broad protection against aerosol challenge with a heterologous C. burnetii strain in mice.