You are here
Jose Vazquez-Boland
0131 651 3619
University of Edinburgh
Bacterial virulence, genomics of bacterial pathogens, molecular and cellular mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis, bacterial vaccinology, rational target identification, Rhodococcus equi, Listeria, Staphylococcus
Real name:
In the area of veterinary vaccinology, we are currently developing a vaccine for Rhodococcus equi infection in foals based on a cytoadhesive pilus required for lung colonization. We identified this key virulence factor and candidate vaccine through genome-based reverse vaccinology. Our functional genomics analyses of R. equi have identified additional targets and we are also currently working on a candidate live attenuated vaccine to develop together with the pili vaccine a prime-boost strategy to prevent foal rhodococcosis. Our general approach is gaining a fundamental understanding of the host-pathogen interaction mechanisms as a basis for rational target identification.