Professor Massimo Palmarini
In collaboration with Merial, we have developed a platform for the rapid production of bluetongue virus (BTV) vaccines. Using a reverse genetics approach, we have developed and characterised synthetic BTV viruses that function as "off-the-shelf" strains for vaccine development. This has considerably decreased the timeline to vaccine production and will have a significant impact on the control of new BTV outbreaks. Using a similar reverse genetics approach, and armed with the full genome sequence, we were able to rapidly produce replication competent synthetic Schmallenberg virus in response to the recent emergence of this new virus.
Industrial contacts:
Merial (1 joint project funded by BBSRC)