To investigate the feasibility of using radiation to inactivate virus for vaccine formulation.

2019冠状病毒病大流行凸显了疫苗的重要性，以及对更快、经济实惠和更安全的疫苗开发方法的需求。疫苗每年在全世界预防约300万人死亡，但如果疫苗更好、覆盖面更广，每年还可以挽救150万人的生命（Wellcome）。电离辐射可以提供一种替代选择，与目前的疫苗制剂相比具有显着的好处。该概念依赖于使用电离辐射来破坏病毒的RNA材料，而不破坏关键表位或其结构完整性（因此保留了抗原靶标的全部宽度）。模拟已经证实，这可以通过选择最佳的辐射质量和剂量来实现。灭活的病毒将与一种免疫剂结合使用，以刺激免疫系统的反应。该项目将评估不同辐射方式灭活病毒的效率，建立剂量反应曲线，开发样品辐射疫苗，并使用一系列生物系统比较其与化学和其他常规疫苗方式的效力。还将讨论成本效益和制造的便利性，包括获得辐射设施和运输的机会。

Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of vaccines and the needs for faster, economically affordable and safervaccine development methods. Vaccines prevent an estimated 3 million deaths/year worldwide but a further 1.5 millionlives/year could be saved with better vaccines and wider coverage (Wellcome). Ionizing radiation could provide analternative option with significant benefits compared to current vaccine formulations. The concept relies on using ionizingradiation to inactivate the virus by damaging its RNA material without destroying the key epitopes or its structural integrity(retaining therefore the full breadth of antigens targets). Simulations have confirmed that this could be achieved with anoptimum selection of radiation quality and dose. The inactivated virus would then be used in combination with an adjuvantto stimulate the immune system response. The project will assess the efficiency of different radiation modalities in virusinactivation, establish dose response curves, develop sample radiation-vaccines and compare their efficacy againstchemical and other conventional vaccine modalities using a range of biological systems. Cost-effectiveness and ease ofmanufacturing, including access to radiation facilities and transport, will also be addressed.