Message from the Center Director
Philosophy behind the establishment of the Vaccine Design Center (VDesc)
On April 1, 2022, the International Research and Development Center for Mucosal Vaccines at the Institute of Medical Science of the University of Tokyo will be reborn as the Vaccine Design Center (VDesc). The Vaccine Design Center aims to: play a central role in the formation of a global clinical research network of relevant stakeholders in the industry, academia, and government; reinforce the functions of the international joint use and -research center through integrative research development; and utilize the enhanced infrastructure to promote human resource development.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic emphasized the fact that humanity has yet to overcome infectious diseases, and the importance of vaccine research and development has become obvious. Groundbreaking vaccine development projects are conducted at a global scale, with effective vaccines being rolled-out to the public at unprecedented speeds. However, are all vaccines truly effective and safe? Why is vaccine development in Japan lagging behind? Why is Japan-based research not leading the clinical development of vaccines? How vaccine development and research should be conducted in the post-COVID-19 era is an issue that should be considered with regards to the lessons learnt in the recent past.
Two centuries after the invention of a varicella vaccine by Jenner, many infectious diseases remain untreatable using vaccines. The main reason being that the human immune response is highly variable compared to the inbred animal models used in research. Infectious pathogens can disrupt the human immune system and the associated immune response may not always be optimal for the patient’s immediate health.
In the post-COVID-19 era, there is a need for new vaccine technology that can identify and predict the complex and diverse immune responses of the human body and strike an arrow at the “Achilles’ heel” of pathogens by allowing for rapid and effective treatment. In April 2021, the International Research and Development Center for Mucosal Vaccines at the Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, will become the Vaccine Design Center: a new center that aims to research and develop vaccines with immediate clinical and societal relevance.
We believe that the key to the effective development of vaccines lies in high-resolution measurement technologies that consider the complexity of the human immune system and the promotion of simple but groundbreaking vaccine technologies, such as those developed at the Institute of Medical Science. We also aim to integrate AI technology in immunology and genetics, in which Japan is already leading the way, and the analysis of human genetic information in big data as part of the establishment of modern vaccine projects.
The center is sustained by an interdisciplinary global research team that aims to modularize antigens, adjuvants, and delivery systems, which are essential elements of vaccine development research, in an attempt to establish “a new dimension of vaccine design” for the post-COVID-19 era. By forming a network that can promote “true” industry–academia–government–private collaboration not only within the Institute but also on a global scale, and expanding development and research, we will enhance the functions of the international joint use and -research center promoted by the Institute of Medical Science. Moreover, through this foundation, we want to cultivate human resources to lead the development and research of vaccines in the future. We would be very grateful for your support and guidance in this endeavor.
Sincerely,
Ken Ishii
Director, the Vaccine Design Center
April, 2022