Advances in Vector-Based Immunization: Exploring the Next Horizon of Vaccine Technology

Dear Colleagues,

The landscape of infectious disease control and prevention has undergone significant transformations in recent decades, particularly after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. A standout progression in this arena is the evolution and refinement of vector-based immunization techniques, promising to reshape our approach to both established and emergent infectious threats. Vector-based vaccines utilize live, attenuated organisms, or "vectors", to present antigens to the host's immune system. These vectors can be chemical entities like liposome nanoparticles (LNP) or non-pathogenic, attenuated forms of viruses or bacteria, which are tailored to carry or express specific antigens from other pathogens.

Vector-based immunization offers numerous advantages, including the potential to stimulate broader and more robust immune responses, co-deliver multiple antigens from various pathogens, and rapidly adapt to new and evolving infectious agents. This platform is especially crucial when we consider pathogens with high mutation rates or those for which traditional vaccine approaches have been less successful.

However, while the promise is great, there remain challenges to be addressed. These include understanding the complex interactions between the vector and the host immune system, optimizing vector design for maximal efficacy and safety, and addressing the potential issues associated with pre-existing immunity to vector agents.

As our world becomes more interconnected, and as the threat of emerging infectious diseases looms larger, the need for innovative vaccine technologies like vector-based immunization becomes even more urgent. This Special Issue aims to shed light on the cutting-edge advancements in this frontier of vaccine technology.

In view of your deep expertise and commitment to this field, we invite you to contribute an original article, observation, report, or review in order to underscore the following aspects of this field:

(i) The development of vector vaccines against infectious diseases such as coronavirus, influenza virus, HIV, etc.

(ii) Universal vaccines against pathogens with high mutation rates, such as SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses.

(iii) The underlying mechanisms and biology of vector-based immunization.

(iv) Recent successes and failures in the realm of vector-based vaccine candidates.

(v) Challenges and strategies in circumventing host–vector interactions that may diminish vaccine efficacy.

(vi) The future trajectory of vector-based immunization in addressing global infectious threats.

The aim is to provide a comprehensive overview of the state of the art in vector-based immunization, offering insights, perspectives, and guiding future research in this dynamic area of vaccine science.

Dr. Jingen Zhu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• vaccine
• vector vaccines
• engineered vaccine vectors
• universal vaccine
• vaccine development
• adjuvant
• virus-like particle (VLP)
• infectious diseases
• pre-existing immunity
• host immune system