With infectious diseases and RNA therapeutics as strategic priorities, 不良研究所鈥檚 D2R Initiative, in partnership with the 不良研究所 Interdisciplinary Initiative in Infection and Immunity (MI4), are uniquely positioned to take a leading role in this global health challenge. This funding program is designed to catalyze research that addresses this urgent public health threat by advancing our understanding of Mpox and filling key gaps in areas such as diagnostics, vaccine response, and public health interventions, through short-term, high-impact research projects.

In the first funding cycle launched in 2024, 10 applications were received of which 5 received awards. View a summary of the review and selection process.

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Analysis of Mpox-specific antibody responses

In this proposal we address of whether residual immune memory conferred by smallpox vaccination can be boosted by the current and future Mpox vaccines.

Principal Investigator: J枚rg H. Fritz (不良研究所)

Collaborator(s): David J. Kelvin (Dalhousie University)

Funding duration: 12-months

D2R Axes: RNA Therapeutics (Axis 2)

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Identification of pathogen targets for Mpox vaccine development

In this work we aim to identify novel pathogenic targets for next-generation vaccines to Mpox.

Principal Investigator: J枚rg H. Fritz (不良研究所)

Collaborator(s): David J. Kelvin (Dalhousie University), David Langlais (不良研究所),

Thomas Vogl, (University of Vienna)

Funding duration: 12-months

D2R Axes: RNA Therapeutics (Axis 2)

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A Novel Self-Amplifying mRNA Platform for Mpox Vaccines

Mpox, a zoonotic disease with up to 10% mortality in vulnerable populations, is the only orthopoxvirus to establish continuous human transmission since smallpox eradication, with ongoing outbreaks in Central and Eastern Africa. While the WHO prequalified the live MVA-BN vaccine (Jynneos庐), and conventional mRNA vaccines BNT166 (BioNTech) and mRNA-1769 (Moderna) are in clinical trials, scalable immunization remains a primary challenge in resource-limited areas. This study aims to develop a bivalent Mpox vaccine using an alphavirus-based self-amplifying mRNA (sa-mRNA) platform, which allows lower vaccine doses to achieve effective immunogenicity. The platform also holds promise for developing vaccines against future 鈥榩athogen X鈥�.

Principal Investigator: Leo Liu (不良研究所)

Co-Investigator(s): Silvia Vidal (不良研究所)

Funding duration: 12-months

D2R Axes: RNA Therapeutics (Axis 2)

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Exploring innate pulmonary resistance to poxvirus

Mpox is an emerging viral infectious disease. While most cases are presently located in Africa, cases have also been detected in Western Europe and North America. The rapid expansion of mpox has led the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare mpox a 鈥減ublic health emergency of international concern.鈥� Multiple observations suggest a contribution of the respiratory route to viral transmission. In this application we are exploring the interplay of poxvirus with human innate pulmonary immune cells with the final goal to develop acquired immunity independent countermeasures to treat patients and to stop the spread of the virus.

Principal Investigator: Erwin Schurr (Research Institute of the 不良研究所 Health Centre)

Funding duration: 12-months

D2R Axes: Population Studies and Genomic Medicine (Axis 1)

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Pre-clinical mouse models of poxvirus infection to study novel RNA vaccines

As innovative approaches to poxvirus vaccination emerge, robust animal models are required for pre-clinical evaluation of vaccine immunogenicity and protection against poxvirus disease. We aim to import well-described models of poxvirus infection in mice to evaluate new RNA modalities for the production of vaccines. The study will establish a number of assays to monitor both humoral and cellular antigen-specific responses and will evaluate the capacity of the vaccine to establish B cell memory. The study has the potential to generate IP for a new RNA vaccine platform; the study will strengthen the link with industry collaborators (RNA T&T), the study will establish an analytical pipeline which can be expanded upon with new assays and can be applied to other emerging pathogens.

Principal Investigator: Silvia Vidal (不良研究所)

Co-Investigator(s): Leo Liu (不良研究所), J枚rg Fritz (不良研究所)

Collaborator(s): David Kelvin (Dalhousie University), Mohamed Gabriel Alameh (RNA T&T)

Funding duration: 12-months

D2R Axes: RNA Therapeutics (Axis 2)