title: Advances in universal influenza virus vaccine design and antibody mediated therapies based on conserved regions of the hemagglutinin.
abstract: The threat of novel influenza viruses emerging into the human population from animal reservoirs, as well as the short duration of protection conferred by licensed vaccines against human seasonal strains has spurred research efforts to improve upon current vaccines and develop novel therapeutics against influenza viruses. In recent years these efforts have resulted in the identification of novel, highly conserved epitopes for neutralizing antibodies on the influenza virus hemagglutinin protein, which are present in both the stalk and globular head domains of the molecule. The existence of such epitopes may allow for generation of novel therapeutic antibodies, in addition to serving as attractive targets of novel vaccine design. The aims of developing improved vaccines include eliciting broader protection from drifted strains, inducing long-lived immunity against seasonal strains, and allowing for the rational design of vaccines that can be stockpiled for use as pre-pandemic vaccines. In addition, an increased focus on influenza virus vaccine research has prompted an improved understanding of how the immune system responds to influenza virus infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Krammer
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Palese
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus; D007252:Influenza Vaccines