Effective vaccines have probably been one of the most important factors for the growth and success of intensive farming systems. Adjuvants are the helper substances that increase vaccine efficacy by enhancing the potency and longevity of specific immune responses to antigens. Most existing fish vaccines are presented in the form of oil-based emulsions delivered by intra-peritoneal injection, which provides a strong and long lasting protection against diseases. However, they can be associated with clinically significant side-effects such as melanisation and adhesions.
The key aim of this project is to develop a deeper understanding of vaccine formulations for fish, with a specific focus on optimizing the adjuvant component to maximize efficacy without compromising tolerability for use in salmonid aquaculture.
Initially we will try to identify and measure immune responses and side effects resulting from the administration of vaccine formulations, followed by experiments targeted at identifying immunological markers that can differentiate between ”good” and ”bad” inflammatory responses. Hopefully this will enable us to develop protocols for the rapid screening of novel vaccine adjuvants as well as providing valuable insights into fish immune responses.
