Sinai-Emory Multi-Institutional CIVIC (SEM CIVIC). SEM CIVIC

The Sinai-Emory Multi-Institutional CIVIC (SEM CIVIC), part of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Collaborative Influenza Vaccine Innovation Centers (CIVICs) program, aims to develop improved seasonal and universal influenza virus vaccines that induce long-lasting protection against drifted seasonal, zoonotic, and future pandemic influenza viruses. This will be achieved through an iterative process of vaccine design, pre-clinical testing of candidates in animal models including mice, guinea pig, hamsters, ferrets, and non-human primates, clinical trials in collaboration with other CIVICs components, and detailed assessment of humoral and cellular immune responses in animals and humans. The Vaccine Center combines diverse expertise in vaccinology and translational vaccine development, molecular virology, immunology, including B cell and T cell immunity, antibody function and innate immunity, structural biology, epidemiology, and computational biology. Our team includes investigators with a strong background in influenza virus research, as well as investigators new to the field. This contract supports the design and evaluation of innovative vaccine candidates and delivery platforms that aim to achieve durable, robust, and broadly protective immunity. Activities may include immunologic analyses to inform vaccine design and identify surrogates/correlates of protection; in vitro and in vivo immunogenicity and efficacy testing; assay and reagent development; and clinical studies and trials. Additional studies are being conducted to evaluate the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection.