|
Tuesday, August 22
8:00am Morning Coffee
(Sponsorship Available)
DETECT TO PROTECT
8:20 Chairperson’s Remarks
Arthur M. Krieg, M.D., Founder & Chief Scientific Officer, Coley Pharmaceutical Group Inc.
|
|
 |
8:30 Responding Through Research: Update on Efforts to Understand and Control Pandemic Influenza/H5N1
Linda C. Lambert, Ph.D., Chief, Respiratory Diseases Branch, Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, NIAID/NIH/DHHS
Research efforts to control H5N1 and future influenza pandemics require a multi-faceted approach, including integration of new technologies and the development of new diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines. This presentation will focus on NIAID’s research response to pandemic influenza and efforts to develop an H5N1 vaccine. |
|
9:00 Innate Immune Activation Through TLR9 for Biodefense
Arthur M. Krieg, MD
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a family of immune defense proteins that appear to have evolved to detect molecules that are present in general classes of pathogens, but are not present in our own cells. TLRs can be activated with synthetic ligands to induce protective innate and adaptive immune responses. Several TLR ligands are currently in various stages of preclinical and clinical development, and have shown some activity in various biodefense models. CpG oligos are synthetic TLR9 ligands that have proven particularly active for inducing nonspecific or specific immunity to several CDC Category A and B agents in animal models. Depending on the exact structure and sequence, different CpG oligos can induce distinct patterns of immune activation for different applications. In human clinical trials CPG 7909 ("VaxImmune") appears to be a promising vaccine adjuvant in multiple different infectious disease vaccines.
9:30 Novel Influenza Vaccines Linking Innate and Adaptive Immunity
Alan Shaw, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, VaxInnate
Corporation
The importance of the innate immune system, specifically Toll-like receptors (TLRs), in controlling the adaptive immune system requires a consideration of TLR biology in the development of the next generation of vaccines for infectious diseases. It is now appreciated that many adjuvants act via TLRs, but in an uncontrolled fashion such activity can lead to unnecessary inflammation and toxicity. By physically linking disease antigen with TLR ligand, one can precisely control the delivery of the antigen in the appropriate costimulatory environment governed by the cognate TLR. We are applying this strategy to development of vaccines to influenza, flaviviruses, and other infectious diseases. Our results demonstrate that linking a conserved influenza antigen, M2e, to a TLR ligand significantly increases the immunogenicity of the antigen and provides protection against lethal virus challenge in the mouse model. The application of this strategy to seasonal and pandemic influenza will be discussed.
10:00 An Integrated Approach to Biowarfare Vaccine Development
Bonny Bass, M.S., PMP, Executive Director, Program Management Office, DVC LLC, a CSC Company
Developing FDA-licensed vaccines to biothreat agents requires novel approaches. This presentation will describe how DVC LLC, a CSC company, utilizes the "integrator" model to manage the scientific and programmatic efforts of multiple specialty subcontractors, to yield a strategy that provides creative, flexible, and efficient solutions to this important need.
10:30 Refreshment Break, Poster & Exhibit Viewing
11:15 Developing Protein Arrays for Biothreat Agents
James Meegan, Ph.D., Senior Director Research & Development, Invitrogen Corporation
Preventing and responding to bioterrorist threats often requires accelerated development of diagnostics, vaccines and antimicrobials. One of the most difficult tasks in developing new products in these areas, especially if the genome of an organism is large, is selecting the appropriate antigens or protein targets. High-throughput technologies for cloning, expression, purification, and microarraying of thousands of functional proteins are now available. Protein microarrays allow the rapid, simultaneous screening of large numbers of proteins for biochemical activities, protein-protein interactions, protein-lipid interactions, protein-nucleic acid interactions, and protein-small molecule interactions. To date, protein microarrays have been used only on a limited basis for the study of biothreat agents. However, preliminary results indicate that they provide significantly more quantitative and qualitative data on the host’s response to infection and/or immunization. These arrays hold great promise as novel tools to aid the development of new biothreat countermeasures.
11:45 Integrated Approaches to Processing and Analysis of Microbial Forensic Samples
Richard Winegar, Ph.D., Principal Advisor for Science, Forensic and Trace-Level Analysis Program, Midwest Research Institute
An investigation of a bio-crime may require collection of thousands of samples such as swabs, wipes, dust, soil, and water. Any DNA signatures may be at ultra-trace levels, degraded and present in a matrix that is highly inhibitory to PCR. To improve the odds of successful detection it is necessary to consider how all aspects work together, from sample collection through analysis.
12:15pm Fieldable Biodetection System Using MALDI-ATOFMS
Dr. Maarten Nieuwenhuizen, Manager, Detection and Identification, TNO Defence, Security and Safety
A rapid and selective detection technique for airborne biological warfare agents and related threat elements is being developed. The technique combines fluorescence preselection and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation (MALDI) Time of Flight mass spectrometry. Using this combination, mass spectra were obtained from single biological aerosol particles. Having obtained the proof of principle, current work is directed at making the system
fieldable.
12:45 Lunch on Your Own or Technology Workshop
(Sponsorship Available)
NOVEL METHODS
2:00 Chairperson’s Remarks:
Steven Buchsbaum, Ph.D., Senior Program Officer, Global Health Technologies, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
2:10 BEADS for Processing Large Volume Water Samples
Timothy M. Straub, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist II, Chemical and Biological Sciences, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Currently, limited methods exist for the secondary concentration of a broad spectrum of microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, and protozoa) from large volumes of water. PNNL’s Biodetection Enabling Analyte Delivery System (BEADS) microfluidic sample processing platform was scaled up to handle volumes of 1L, the typical retained volume exiting from tangential flow systems. Efficient co-capture of bacteria and viruses were demonstrated in this system, and the concentrated samples could be examined by cell culture methods.
2:30 Rapid Analysis of Biological Samples using an Automated Sample Preparation Station combined with a MALDI Mass Spectrometry Detection System
Miquel Antoine, Ph.D., Senior Professional Staff, RTDC, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Mass spectrometry is an emerging analytical technique for the rapid analysis of bio-threat agents. Matrix- Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry has been demonstrated to be an efficient and sensitive method for analyzing intact microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Typically, sample preparations procedures have hindered its use as an autonomous fieldable system. Recently, APL has designed a stand alone sample preparation station integrated with a miniaturized mass spectrometer system and bioinformatics to detect and identify potential biological threat agents encountered in environmental settings.
2:50 Technology Workshop
(Sponsorship Available)
3:20 Refreshment
Break, Poster & Exhibit Viewing
3:50 CANARY B-Cell Sensor for Rapid, Sensitive Identification of Pathogens
James D. Harper, Ph.D., Biosensor and Molecular Technologies, MIT Lincoln Laboratory
We have harnessed nature’s pathogen identifier, the B lymphocyte, to enable detection of <50 cfu of pathogens (including anthrax spores) in less than 3 minutes. Tests using this cell-based sensor technology, which we call CANARY, are very simple to perform in inexpensive equipment and provide a unique combination of extreme speed and sensitivity that can dramatically enhance pathogen identification capabilities for bioaerosol monitoring, medical diagnostics, and other applications.
4:10 Nucleic Acid Dipstick for Rapid Field Pathogen Detection
Hong Cai, Ph.D., Technical Staff Member, Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory
We are developing a rapid, sensitive, inexpensive (<$10/assay), and easy-to-operate nucleic acid-based dipstick device (of the size of ball point pen, like those in home pregnancy test strips sold in stores) to detect and distinguish multiple pathogens in 60 minutes (including the sample handling, NA extraction, amplification and visualization). In this presentation, we will present data to demonstrate rapid sensitive detection of as little as several copies of bacillus anthracis DNA using isothermal amplification and nucleic acid dipstick assay.
4:30 Close of Conference
|
