Multiplex Tetramer Analysis of Vaccine Responses

Mark Davis of Stanford University in the U.S. will develop a new method to assess specific T cell responses to vaccinations. Using combinations of labeled tetramers to identify many types of T cell responses, Davis hopes to create better and more comprehensive assessments of immunity generated by vaccines. This project's Phase I led to the development of a new way to color-code T cells as a way to visually quantify immune response to an influenza vaccine. In Phase II, Davis and his team are extending this approach to quantify immune response to other vaccines in an effort to reduce the time needed to determine if a vaccine is working.