Home of InterVac International Vaccine Centre

Bacterial Vaccine Development

Reducing levels of human bacterial pathogens in food-producing animals is an effective way to reduce food safety risks for humans. Our food and water safety research project is focused on developing a family of vaccines that prevent colonization of animals by Escherichia coli O157, Campylobacter jejuni and Salmonella enteric species.

Our Salmonella pathogenesis research focuses on reducing or preventing environmental persistence and transmission of human pathogens. This project involves studying transmission and identifying key control points that influence microbial survival.

Our equine vaccine research project is focused on studying diseases and immune responses of horses when exposed to infectious diseases like influenza, viral encephalitis and clostridial diseases. We are currently studying the use of CpGs as adjuvants to enhance the onset, magnitude and duration of immunity to existing and new equine vaccines.

Our mastitis vaccine research is focused on reducing the incidence of mastitis by reducing colonization of the mammary glands. We are also testing different immunization routes, vaccine formulations and delivery, to maximize local immune responses in the mammary glands.

Our Mycoplasma bovis research involves studying virulence factors and mechanisms of pathogenesis of M. bovis, with a longer term objective of developing a vaccine that could be administered early in life to prevent onset of M. bovis diseases.

Research Partners

VIDO-InterVac acknowledges the organizations that have provided funding for this research:

Members of this Research Group

Program Manager: Hugh Townsend

Scientists: Andy Potter, Jose Perez-Casal, Wolfgang Koester, Brenda Allan, Aaron White

Technicians: Shirley Lam, Neil Rawlyk, Tracy Prysliak

Graduate students: Taseen Desin, Keith MacKenzie

Postdoctoral fellows: Sonja Mertins

Awards, Publications, Links

Andy Potter and Wolfgang Koester hold the NSERC/Bioniche Senior and Associate Industrial Research Chairs, respectively, in the area of vaccines for zoonotic pathogens associated with contamination of food and water.

In May 2009, Andy Potter was awarded the 2009 Innovation Place-U of S Industry Liaison Office Award of Innovation for his work on a novel vaccine for E. coli which has significantly reduced the level of the disease in cattle. The research, carried out in collaboration with University of British Columbia scientist Brett Finlay, represents an entirely unique approach to food safety.

In September 2009, Hugh Townsend was honored with the Award of Distinction - Equine Welfare Communication presented by the Saskatchewan Horse Federation and the Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan. This Award recognizes Hugh's role in communications to the public during the outbreak of Equine Herpesvirus 1 Myeloencephalitis in the spring of 2009. Co-recipients of this Award included Dr. Lohmann Faculty Dept of Large Animal Clinical Sciences and Myrna McDonald, Editor of Horse Health Lines and the person who maintains the WCVM website.

Below are some sample publications for this research group. More information can be obtained in Publications and Patents.

Investigation of avian innate immune response to infection by Salmonella typhimurium and C. jejuni. Dr. C. O'Farrelly, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.

Investigation of the role of glycoproteins and carbohydrates in the colonization of poultry. Microarray array analysis of gene expression of C. jejuni and the effect of mutations on the colonization of poultry by C. jejuni. Dr. C. Szymanski, Dr. J. Nash and Dr. J. Kelly, IBS, National Research Council, Ottawa.

Perez-Casal J. and T. Prysliak. 2007. Detection of antibodies against the Mycoplasma bovis glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase protein in beef cattle. Microb. Path. 43:189-197.