Elissa Bell
Department of Biological Science
Florida State University

"Advancing COVID-19 Vaccine Design Through Immunoinformatics"

Wednesday, Mar 6, 2024

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Abstract:

Computational biology has shown great promise in playing a vital role in rapid vaccine development. In this talk, I will highlight the innovative use of immunoinformatics in designing multi-epitope vaccine models against SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. The papers I will discuss show how to predict antigenic epitopes from vital COVID-19 proteins using existing computational techniques and software. Essential tools in this process include programs for identifying promising B and T-cell epitopes, molecular docking, and simulations to see vaccine stability. These predictions help us understand how these epitopes interact with the immune system and elicit the immune response necessary for a successful vaccine. This immunoinformatic approach can accelerate the transition from theoretical models to practical vaccine candidates.