Louis Lau Rose Hills
Serum IgG avidity after dengue virus vaccination in humans: Breadth of response to tetravalent DENV vaccination
Despite the great burden of dengue worldwide caused by infection with the four dengue virus serotypes (DENV1-4), neither specific antiviral therapy nor vaccines for dengue are commercially available. Several vaccines are currently being tested in clinical trials; however, the first proof-of-concept dengue tetravalent live attenuated vaccine efficacy results have proven disappointing due to incomplete pan-DENV protection. The purpose of this study is to investigate DENV-specific serum IgG avidity generated against DENV following the clinical trial of a tetravalent DENV vaccination in humans, utilizing an in vitro ELISA-based system. This study is critical because it will address the breadth and strength of response generated against all four serotypes of DENV. A balanced cross-reactive response against the 4 different serotypes could prevent antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), a process thought to enhance disease severity in heterotypic secondary DENV infection.
Message To Sponsor
The SURF/Rose Hills Foundation independent research fellowship provides me with means to remain in the Berkeley area, and to continue my immunological research uninterrupted into the summer as a graduating senior. This personally and intellectually means a lot to me, as leaving the lab would have left incomplete research projects, and also this fellowship provides me with the opportunity to continue to learn new experimental techniques hands-on on the UC Berkeley campus which I continue to be enthralled and fascinated by.