PhD Scientific Days 2025

Theoretical and Translational Medicine III.

Development of a Virus-Like Particle-Based Modular Platform to Produce New Types of Vaccines

Előadó neve

Kiss Benjamin Zoltán

Neptun code

AKM9K1

Előadó munkahelye

Translational Medicine Institute

Előadó telefonszáma

+36703692392

Előadó e-mail címe

kiss.benjamin@phd.semmelweis.hu

Az előadás címe

Development of a Virus-Like Particle-Based Modular Platform to Produce New Types of Vaccines

Szerző(k) neve és munkahelye

Benjamin Zoltán Kiss^1,2, Éva Bulyáki¹, Enikő Fodor¹, István Hajdú^1,3, Zsolt Lőrincz¹, Zoltán Benyó²

1: TargetEx Kft.
2: Semmelweis University, Translational Medicine Institute
3: HUN-REN TTK, Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, Structural Biophysics Research Group

Bemutatás módja

Szóbeli

Szekció

Theoretical and Translational Medicine III.

Language of the presentation

English

Preferred session

Theoretical and Translational Medicine

Összefoglaló szövege

The continued emergence and re-emergence of novel infectious diseases underscores the urgent need for adaptable and rapid vaccine development strategies. Traditional vaccine development pipelines are often time-consuming and inflexible, highlighting the value of modular platforms capable of presenting diverse antigens with minimal modification.
This proof-of-concept study aims to develop a modular, plug-and-play vaccine platform based on virus-like particles (VLPs) that allows for the rapid generation of protein-based vaccine candidates. The platform is designed to be flexible and scalable, enabling the incorporation of a wide range of antigens for various infectious disease targets.
The vaccine platform utilizes VLPs derived from Porcine Circovirus type 2d (PCV2d) as a structural scaffold. Antigens are designed to bind to the surface of these VLPs through engineered coiled-coil peptide interactions, facilitating modular assembly. VLPs are expressed using a baculoviral system in insect cells, while antigens can be produced in compatible expression systems suited better to their biochemical properties. Both components are expressed and purified independently, and combined, allowing spontaneous assembly of the vaccine candidate via coiled-coil domain interaction. Initial antigen-VLP interactions are modelled using various GFP-coiled-coil fusion constructs to assess binding efficiency and structural presentation. Protein expression optimisation is underway, supported by analytical techniques including SDS-PAGE, western blotting, and size-exclusion chromatography (SEC-HPLC) to evaluate yield, purity, and structural integrity.
The first set of protein sequences for both VLPs and model GFP antigens has been designed, and the corresponding DNA constructs have been successfully assembled. Initial expression trials have started, focusing on optimising yield and solubility.
This study will demonstrate the feasibility of a modular VLP-based vaccine development platform that enables rapid antigen swapping and efficient assembly. Further validation will be conducted through preclinical testing of a VLP-based vaccine targeting a relevant human infectious disease.
This research was supported by the 2024-2.1.2-EKÖP-KDP New National Excellence program of the Ministry for Culture and Innovation from the source of the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund.

University

Semmelweis University

Supervisor

Zoltán Benyó

Publication of my abstract

I do not give consent to the publication of my abstract on the website of the congress.

phd.section.field

in doctoral studies after complex exam (PhD)

Kind

Szabad

Status

elfogadva

Accepted presentation method

szóbeli

Előadás fájl jóváhagyás

nem rendelkezett róla

Előadó

9145

Start

16:15

End

16:30