Part 1. Emerging virus

Moderator

• 
  Woo-joo Kim

  Professor

  Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine,

  EDUCATION

  • 1992 Korea University Graduate School, Ph.D.
  • 1986 Korea University Graduate School, MS
  • 1983 Korea University College of Medicine, MD
  • 1996 - 1997 Visiting Scholar, Division of Infectious Diseases, Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center, Chicago, IL, U.S.

  PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

  • 2022 ~ Present President, The Korean Association of Internal Medicine
  • 2021 ~ Present President, The Korean Vaccine Society
  • 2021 ~ Present Member, National Academy of Medicine of Korea
  • 2019 ~ Present Member, Committee for Planning Infectious Diseases Research, Korea Diseases Control Agency
  • 2015 ~ 2017 President, Korean Society for Zoonoses
  • 2010 ~ 2016 Director, Trans-governmental Enterprise for Pandemic Influenza, Korea
  • 2015 Director, Rapid Response Team for MERS Control; Advisor for Prime Minister
  • 2013 ~ 2015 Chairman, The Korean Society for Infectious Diseases
  • 2009 ~ 2011 Vice-President, Korean Society of Nosocomial Infection Control
  • 1999 ~ 2001 Chief, Respiratory Virus Laboratory, Korea National Institute of Health

Speaker

• 
  Question

  Daniel César Douek

  Senior Investigator and Chief(Human Immunology Section, Vaccine Research Center, NIAID, NIH) / Genome Analysis Core(Chief) / PREMISE pandemic preparedness program(Director) / Sheba Pandemic Preparedness Research Institute(Senior Scientific Advisor)

  Topic

  • Building a novel pandemic preparedness program

  Abstract

  • I will discuss principles underlying an immunologic approach to pandemic preparedness, progress made in designing serologic assays and widening our international partnerships, an EV-D68 pilot study, and specific projects to identify neutralizing antibodies against viruses including SFTSV and Langya virus.
• 
  Question

  Han-saem Lee

  Staff scientist

  National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Korea National Institute of Health

  Topic

  • Development of therapeutic antibodies against MERS-CoV and SFTSV

  Abstract

  • Neutralizing antibodies protect against viral infection efficiently by interfering with virions that bind to receptors, blocking virus entry into cells, resulting prevention of virus propagation and spread. The development of human monoclonal neutralizing antibodies has increased for therapeutic or prophylactic use against newly emerging infectious diseases. The outbreak of MERS occurred in the Republic of Korea in 2015. Although high mortality (~35%) by MERS infection has been reported worldwide, unfortunately, there is currently no specific vaccine or treatment for MERS-CoV infection. In this study, we present seven human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of convalescent Korean MERS patients. The mAbs specifically bind to MERS-CoV spike protein S1 and RBD. The plaque reduction neutralization test was performed to quantify the neutralizing activity of the antibody against the virus. Out of 24 candidates, six antibodies are found to neutralize MERS-CoV infection efficiently. We also evaluated antibody affinity based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and surface plasmon resonance using S1 antigen. We also elucidated the interaction of KNIH90-F1 with RBD of spike protein by X-ray chrystallography. Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV), named Dabies virus, is an emerging fatal hemorrhagic fever virus with fatality of upto 30% in Asia, especially China, Korea and Japan, belongs bunyavirus. In this study, we also found human monoclonal antibodies targeting SFTSV Gn and Gc surface glycoproteins to develop therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. This research is still being proceeded.

Part 2. Phage therapy for bacterial infectious diseases

Moderator

• 
  Myoung-don OH

  Professor

  Seoul National University College of Medicine

  EDUCATION

  • 1992 ~ 1994 SNU, PhD
  • 1977 ~ 1983 Seoul National University (SNU) College of Medicine, M.D.

  PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

  • 1997 ~ Present Professor, SNU College of Medicine
  • 1992 ~ Present Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, SNU Hospital
  • 2020 ~ Present Chair, National Committee of Clinical Management of Infectious Diseases
  • 2009 ~ 2011 President, Korea Society of Infectious Diseases
  • 2022. 1 ~ 4 Member, Transition Team for the 20th President of KOREA

Speaker

• 
  Question

  Hee-joon Myung

  Professor, Founder and CEO

  Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, LyseNTech

  Topic

  • Bacteriophages and Endolysins Combating Multidrug Resistant (MDR) Pathogens

  Abstract

  • Rapidly growing antibiotic resistance is posing a great threat to human health. It was reported that 4.95 million deaths were related to antimicrobial resistance in 2019. Covid-19 worsened the situation of misuse/overuse of antibiotics due to standard prescription of antibiotic to patients. But pipeline for development of new antibiotics is almost dried out. Bacteriophages are viruses infecting bacteria. Endolysins are phage-encoded, cell wall-degrading enzymes needed when progeny phages burst out from inside host bacteria. If externally supplied as recombinant proteins, they can kill the bacteria. Accordingly, bacteriophages and endolysins are increasingly spotlighted as modalities for combatting MDR pathogens. Successful clinical trial cases of phage therapy have been reported from Western world as well as from some East European countries. Development of endolysins as recombinant protein drugs is under way. Current phage therapy and endolysin therapy in various animal models and human clinical cases will be presented.
• 
  Question

  Dennis M. Dixon

  Chief, Bacteriology and Mycology

  NIH/NIAID

  Topic

  • NIH/NIAID, Antibacterial Resistance and Our Bacteriophage Trial in Cystic Fibrosis Paients.

  Abstract

  • The NIH is the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world, and the NIAID is the lead institute on antibacterial resistance (AR). Clearly AR is a major public health problem. The GRAM report, Lancet (2022) 399:629-655, documented that a sort list of of resistant bacterial pathogens were carefully estimated to cause more deaths globally than AIDS and malaria combined. This presentation will summarize an overview of NIAID efforts to address the global threat of antimicrobial resistance, including research on alternative treatments with a focus on the NIAID Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group (ARLG) trial on a prospective, randomized clinical trial to study safety and activity of a bacteriophage approach to addressing Pseudomonas infection in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. It is hoped that this rigorous, prospective trial will provide valuable, foundational information on safety and activity of intravenously administered bacteriophage on Pseudomonas colony counts on stable CF patients colonized with Pseudomonas and titres of bacteriophage after administration. I addition, a summary will be given of the recent guidance type document from the ARLG and the NIAID on summary of bacteriophage therapy and possible adjunctive therapeutic indications.

Part 3. Research of Vaccine adjuvants

Moderator

• 
  Baik-lin Seong

  Professor, Distinguished Professor & Director General, Vaccine Innovative Technology ALliance (VITAL)-Korea

  Yonsei University College of Medicine

  EDUCATION

  • 1988 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, PhD
  • 1979 Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, MS
  • 1977 Seoul National University, BS

  PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

  • 2022 ~ Present Chair, Division of Biotechnology, Science & Technology Advisory Board, MoFA, Korean Government
  • 2020 ~ Present Distinguished Professor, Yonsei University College of Medicine
  • 2020 ~ Present Director General, Vaccine Innovative Technology ALliance (VITAL)-Korea
  • 2020 ~ 2022 Chair, COVID-19 Vaccine Pan-Government Strategic Plan, Korean Government
  • 2020 ~ 2021 Member, Presidential Advisory Council on Science & Technology, Korean Government
  • 2001 ~ 2009 CEO, Protheon
  • 1998 ~ 2020 Professor, Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University
  • 1993 ~ 1998 Director, Institute of Biological Sciences, Hanhyo Institute of Technology
  • 1992 ~ 1993 Scientist, Aviron, USA
  • 1988 ~ 1992 Postdoctoral Scientist, University of Oxford, UK

Speaker

• 
  Question

  Kyung-a Cho

  Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Chonnam National University Medical School MediSpan, Inc.

  Topic

  • Flagellin as a potent immune modulator for the elderly

  Abstract

  • Immunological alteration with age results in increased susceptibility to infectious diseases and poor vaccination outcomes. In a previous study, we proved that the specific form of Toll-like receptors 5 (TLR5) could be a good target for vaccine adjuvant for the elderly (Lim JS et al., 2015. Aging Cell). Furthermore, we showed mucosal TLR5 stimulation protects from aging-associated diseases (such as lung fibrosis) and aging-associated comorbidities, including hair loss, ocular lens opacity, decreased bone mineral density, reduced bone marrow-derived stem cell activity, immunological functions, and compromised cognitive capacity (Lim JS et al., 2023. processing in Nat. Comn). Bacterial flagellin, known as a ligand for TLR5, consists of four domains: D0 - D3. Among them, the D1 domain directly binds to TLR5, and the D2 and D3 domains are hypervariable regions exposed to the outside and induce strong immunogenicity. Previously Salmonella flagellin has been developed as an influenza vaccine adjuvant for the elderly. However, high antibody production and CRP generation by D2-D3 domains of flagellin led to a stop in the clinical trials. To improve these limitations, we have developed modified flagellin (MSP-102) that minimizes the immunogenicity of the existing flagellin and improves stability. At this conference, we want to introduce MSP-102 as a novel therapeutic target for vaccine adjuvants for the elderly.
• 
  Question

  Kentner L. Singleton

  Program Officer, Basic Immunology Branch; Division of Allergy Immunology and Transplantation

  National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

  Topic

  • NIAID Vaccine Adjuvant Program

  Abstract

  • The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), supports a comprehensive Vaccine Adjuvant Program to advance the discovery, development, and characterization of new vaccine adjuvants. These adjuvants may be used to improve the efficacy of current vaccines, design new or improved vaccines for existing and emerging infectious diseases, and develop vaccines to treat allergies, autoimmune diseases, substance use disorders, and cancer. The NIAID Adjuvant Program has supported the screening of over 2 million compounds and the development >40 adjuvants, which have been evaluated in more than 25 clinical trials. Vaccine adjuvants available for use by investigators may be found at the Vaccine Adjuvant Compendium (https://vac.niaid.nih.gov/). The compendium compiles metadata on novel adjuvant research and characteristic studies to help vaccine developers identify suitable adjuvants.
• 
  Question

  Alicen Burns Spaulding

  Senior Advisor and Team Lead PREMISE, Vaccine Research Center (VRC), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

  Topic

  • The future of pandemic preparedness: Building collaborations and EV-D68 as a test case for NIAID/VRC's PREMISE program

  Abstract

  • DDr. Spaulding will present on the experience of building PREMISE, a brand-new pandemic preparedness program at NIAID/VRC. This will include a discussion of how US and international partnerships are being built, what mechanisms for collaborations are being used, and examples of successful collaborations to date. She will then present on a study using EV-D68 as a test case for PREMISE, including an overview of the study design and current status. She will conclude by discussing how partners can engage with PREMISE and what some of the next strategic steps are for the program.