Dr. Ayodeji Durojaye has recommended that Nigerian universities embrace reverse vaccinology to enhance bioscience research and national health security.
This innovative approach, as outlined in his study titled “Integrating Reverse Vaccinology into Bioscience Research,” involves using a pathogen’s genetic material to identify potential antigens for vaccine development efficiently.
By incorporating this methodology into academic and research frameworks, universities in Nigeria can significantly bolster their capacity to combat emerging infectious diseases.
The benefits of adopting reverse vaccinology include faster vaccine development, interdisciplinary collaboration in fields like bioinformatics and immunology, and positioning Nigerian institutions as global health leaders.
Durojaye’s team’s successful demonstration of this approach in developing an mRNA-based vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 further highlights the potential of reverse vaccinology in addressing pressing health challenges.
He said, “Our research used advanced bioinformatics analyses to identify this sequence as a strong binder to the HLA*A-0201 and confirmed its efficacy through rigorous antigenicity assessments.
“We then employed codon optimization to develop a nucleotide sequence targeting the human toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7), a key component of the immune response. This groundbreaking research shows the significant potential of reverse vaccinology in contributing to global efforts in creating effective preventive measures against COVID-19.”
