Background
As part of the SCARDA (Strategic Center of Biomedical Advanced Vaccine Research and Development for Preparedness and Response) programme in Japan, the Vaccine Research and Development Center (VRDC), DEJIMA Infectious Disease Research Alliance (DIDA), Nagasaki University aims to develop new vaccines against a range of infections, including high consequence infections (such as Lassa fever) and tropical pathogens (such as leishmaniasis). However, it is not clear how these vaccines might be used in practice and how they may be tested.

Proposed project
The research will involve reviewing the epidemiology of target infections and developing mathematical models of how they may spread. These models will be used to assess how the vaccines might be used to control the infections (e.g., responding to outbreaks of rare diseases or incorporated into routine immunisation programmes for common endemic infections) and to simulate clinical trial designs to assess different pathways to vaccine licensure. In addition, benefit risk-assessment of new vaccines will be conducted as part of epidemic preparedness, as well as health impact modelling of strategic vaccination scenarios. Potential research includes simulation case studies such as optimising dosing intervals for multi-dose regimens and extending use to lower-risk groups. Specific infections that may be studied include Lassa fever, Avian influenza A(H5N1), mpox, and/or visceral leishmaniasis.