Sumi Biswas
World malaria day 2016
World Malaria Day 2015
Podcast: Can we block malaria transmission
Jenner institute insectary
Grand Challenge Explorations grant award
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Mosquitoes are placed in pots to enable feeding with test samples |
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Malaria parasites expressing green fluorescent protein in the mosquito midgut |
Sumi Biswas
Associate Professor
My research interests include development of vaccines against malaria and primarily vaccines that aim to block the sexual development of the malaria parasite in the mosquito vector and block transmission. The projects in the group ranges from vaccine design, generation and pre-clinical testing to GMP manufacture and Phase 1 human clinical trials.
The group currently focuses on the pre-clinical development and comparative assessment of novel transmission-blocking vaccines and early stage clinical testing of the promising candidates in collaboration with a number of industrial partners like Imaxio, ExpreS2ion and GSK. In the last few years we have worked on various platforms for generating recombinant protein and virus-like- particle vaccines for the induction of high titre functional antibody responses.
We are currently testing simian adenovirus (ChAd63) and poxvirus (MVA) viral vectored vaccines expressing the transmission-blocking vaccine candidate Pfs25 fused to a multimerisation domain (IMX313) in human clinical trials to assess the it’s safety, immunogenicity and ex vivo efficacy. We are also in the process of GMP manufacturing a nanoparticle vaccine and progressing it to Phase 1 clinical trials. The group also has strong links with collaborators in malaria endemic areas (Kenya and Burkina Faso) to test these candidates further.
Recent publications
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A Universal Plug-and-Display Vaccine Carrier Based on HBsAg VLP to Maximize Effective Antibody Response
Journal article
Marini A. et al, (2019), Frontiers in Immunology, 10
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Production and characterisation of the first human monoclonal antibodies against Plasmodium falciparum transmission blocking antigen Pfs25
Conference paper
Zaric M. et al, (2019), EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, 49, 1683 - 1684
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DEMONSTRATION OF A BLOOD-STAGE CONTROLLED HUMAN MALARIA INFECTION MODEL FOR PLASMODIUM VIVAX VACCINE EFFICACY TESTING
Conference paper
Minassian AM. et al, (2019), AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE, 101, 133 - 134
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PLUG AND DISPLAY VIRUS-LIKE-PARTICLE VACCINES FOR OUTBREAK PATHOGENS
Conference paper
Taylor IJ. et al, (2019), AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE, 101, 263 - 263
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Combination of RTS,S and Pfs25-IMX313 Induces a Functional Antibody Response Against Malaria Infection and Transmission in Mice
Journal article
Brod F. et al, (2018), Frontiers in Immunology, 9