key: cord-0008622-atxdjab1
authors: Orenstein, Walter A.; Simon, Raphael
title: Introduction to issue of highlighted research presented at the 2015 National Foundation for Infectious Diseases Annual Conference on Vaccine Research
date: 2016-06-24
journal: Vaccine
DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.05.001
sha: 342f5ddbf878b1aa116c2cb7418713b1d4b6abfc
doc_id: 8622
cord_uid: atxdjab1

nan

Introduction to issue of highlighted research presented at the 2015 National Foundation for Infectious Diseases Annual Conference on Vaccine Research

Vaccines represent one of the most successful public health measures in history. Their development has led to complete elimination of the only human disease ever eradicated, smallpox, as well as eradication of one of the three polio serotypes [1, 2] . In the United States alone, routine immunization of children with vaccines against 13 diseases has been estimated to prevent more than 19 million cases of those diseases in each birth cohort, along with averting more than 42,000 deaths [3] . However the development of safe and effective vaccines is required for the many remaining infectious diseases for which vaccines are not available, as well as a counter to the unexpected emergence of new and deadly pathogens. Further, there remains many areas for which existing vaccines have suboptimal effectiveness or safety; characteristics that may be improved upon. Moreover, some vaccines are underutilized and interventions are needed to improve uptake.

The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), established in 1973, has a long history in educating the public and healthcare professionals about the causes, prevention, and treatment of infectious diseases. In the mid-late 1990s, Drs. Greg Poland, Bill Martone and Len Novick, then senior leaders with the NFID, put forth a proposal to the NFID Board of Trustees for the formation of a new conference with the goal of creating a scientific forum to bring together the diverse and distinct disciplines that constitute "vaccinology". This vaccine focused conference would be designed to address key challenges to optimizing prevention or treatment of disease through vaccination, and would bring together scientists, public health officials, philanthropic and non-governmental organizations, industry, and healthcare practitioners. Development of this concept was pursued with discussions among individuals at a range of small and large external organizations. Among these, Dr. vaccine policy and optimal use to minimize disease burden. Thus, it was distinct from research meetings that were narrowly focused on specific antigens or narrow disease targets, or where vaccinology topics received narrow focus as part of limited sessions at large infectious-disease congresses.

Since the 1st iteration in 1998, ACVRs give persons interested in vaccinology an outstanding opportunity to hear from the world's experts in the field, present their own work, and interact with colleagues with the potential to develop or enhance collaborations. Several major features have defined these meetings. A primary goal has been to welcome papers on all disease targets and research issues, in order to encourage cross-fertilization and communication among researchers and developers of diverse vaccines at the upstream, middle, and downstream ends of the proverbial "vaccine pipeline". Another distinguishing feature has been its semi-didactic nature, in which fully half the 3-day conference is allocated to usually six plenary symposia, for each of which three or four experts deliver invited presentations on a broad range of timely specific topics selected by its planning committee, varying from year to year ( Table 1 ). The remaining half of time is devoted to concurrent oral sessions comprised of papers selected by planning-committee review of unsolicited abstracts submitted by conference attendees. Accepted posters are viewable throughout the three days. The ACVRs have featured participation and major addresses by preeminent vaccinologists, and have thus provided an environment where young researchers can interact with some of the leading and pioneering scientists in the field. The focus on cross-generational interactions is further reinforced by the conferring of awards at the meeting for both early-career young investigators (sponsored by Merck in honor of Dr. Maurice Hilleman) as well as lifetime achievement in vaccinology (sponsored by Sanofi Pasteur in honor of Dr. Charles Mérieux). It is also the usual venue for awarding the Albert B. Sabin Vaccine Institute's Gold Medal for extraordinary contributions in the field of vaccinology or a complementary field.

The 2015 edition of the ACVR well-illustrated the breadth of state of the art in the field of vaccinology, as well as cutting edge science to address some of the problems that have prevented development of safe and effective vaccines against a variety of pathogens and diseases. There were six invited symposia with topics that included: (1) This special section of Vaccine includes articles based on a subset of the invited presentations at the conference, and covers widely divergent themes within vaccinology. Dr. Christopher Broder et al. [4] , assemble an overview of the epidemiologic rationale and current status of Nipah/Hendra Virus Animal Vaccines. This includes a description of the pioneering work from his lab to develop both a highly effective subunit vaccine based on the surface glycoprotein, as well as a promising monoclonal antibody against this protein that could be used for passive transfer immunoprophylaxis. Dr. Barney Graham [5] provides a comprehensive summary of new generation vaccines against Respiratory Syncytial Virus; a major childhood illness for which vaccine development has proven challenging. As part of this review of the field, he also summarizes some of the groundbreaking work from his group at the NIH Vaccine Research Center to elucidate the protective immune responses to the RSV surface fusion (F) glycoprotein, as well as the generation of a soluble molecularly stabilized pre-fusion form of this protein.

Dr. Clifford Snapper [6] highlights work from over two decades of research efforts in his lab to decipher the immune responses to S. pneumoniae capsular polysaccharides, including a description of some of the critical determinants required for induction of antipolysaccharide antibodies. Finally, Dr. Peter Hotez and colleagues [7] detail the impetus and rationale for vaccines to control infections with helminths in the developing world; a major cause of disability and despair in populations where these pathogens are endemic. 

The confirmation and maintenance of smallpox eradication

Polio endgame: the global switch from tOPV to bOPV

Economic evaluation of the routine childhood immunization program in the United States

Hendra virus and Nipah virus animal vaccines

Vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus: The time has finally come

Differential regulation of polysaccharide-specific antibody responses to isolated polysaccharides, conjugate vaccines, and intact Grampositive versus Gram-negative extracellular bacteria

Human anthelminthic vaccines: Rationale and challenges