Coordinating the development of self-disseminating vaccines for spillover prevention

Organizers:

Scott L. Nuismer, University of Idaho
Daniel Streicker, University of Glasgow

Purpose:

Spillover of zoonotic pathogens has proven difficult to control and virtually impossible to eliminate. As a consequence, hundreds of thousands of people are sickened or killed by zoonotic pathogens acquired from animals every year. A novel solution to this problem is the development of animal vaccines that can spread themselves through hard-to-reach populations of wild animals. By reducing the incidence of infection in animal reservoirs, such ‘self-disseminating’ vaccines could dramatically reduce or eliminate pathogen spillover to other species. Self-disseminating vaccines are increasingly feasible to generate in the laboratory, but many scientific, technical, sociological and regulatory challenges remain to be overcome before real world applications become possible.

The goal of this workshop is to coordinate the future development of safe and effective self-disseminating vaccines through structured discussion among sociologists, immunologists, virologists, disease ecologists, bioethicists, and evolutionary biologists. Participants in the workshop will include speakers and participants selected for their prior contributions to the field. We will also support the participation of up to 6 additional individuals who will be selected based on a short application.  Selected applicants will be expected to present their research, including their vision for how it is or may eventually become relevant for self-disseminating vaccine development.

Dates:

March 27-31, 2023

Location:

Skamania Lodge, Stevenson, Washington

Travel Support:

This workshop is supported by a generous grant from the National Science Foundation. This grant will support travel expenses, lodging, and meals for all invited participants and selected applicants.  

Confirmed Speakers & Participants:

To Apply:

Financial support is available to support workshop participation by qualified applicants. To apply, please submit a CV and a one-page PDF document describing: A) your research or professional background and experience and B) your interest in the development of self-disseminating vaccines. Workshop support is not restricted by field and those with diverse perspectives and backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Applicants will be selected from a variety of career stages (PhD students to senior academics or professionals working in related fields). We especially encourage applications from lower- and middle-income countries, particularly those in South America and Africa, where self-disseminating vaccines currently under development are targeted for eventual management use.  Application closes October 31, 2022.