Antigen and Adjuvant Selection for a Vaccine Against Urogenital Schistosomiasis, HematoShield

The HematoShield project: “Antigen and Adjuvant Selection for a Vaccine Against Urogenital Schistosomiasis,” focuses on understanding how blood flukes — parasitic worms that cause schistosomiasis — establish infections in humans and evade host immune responses, and on translating that knowledge into vaccine strategies. This research employs systems vaccinology approaches and a suite of technologies to identify parasite molecules essential for survival and to prioritize those molecules as vaccine targets. By characterizing the immune signatures associated with vaccine-mediated protection, the team seeks to define correlates of protection that can guide rational antigen and adjuvant selection.

The HematoShield effort responds to the global burden of schistosomiasis — a neglected tropical disease affecting over 400 million people worldwide and placing millions more at risk — and to the limitations of current control measures. Molehin highlights the severe health consequences of untreated infection, including an increased risk of bladder cancer, and emphasizes the urgent public health need for an effective vaccine. The project integrates basic parasite biology with immunology and vaccinology, aiming to identify candidate antigens and optimal adjuvant combinations that elicit protective immune responses.

Through training and mentorship, the HematoShield project contributes to workforce development in infectious disease research while advancing its scientific aims. The team uses systems-level analyses to dissect immune responses and to compare signatures from vaccinated and unvaccinated conditions, with the intention of revealing mechanisms by which vaccines can prevent parasite establishment and pathology. By focusing on molecules crucial for parasite survival, the research prioritizes targets with the highest likelihood of producing durable protective responses. The HematoShield project exemplifies Midwestern University’s broader research mission: translating scientific inquiry into interventions that address pressing health challenges, providing meaningful educational experiences for students, and contributing to innovations in disease prevention.