June 2007 Workshop
The workshop, Improving Defenses at the Portal of Entry: Innate and Mucosal Immunity, was held in June 2007 and included 26 scientists. Participants identified the need for better understanding of mucosal T cell responses and the mechanisms of infection in mucosal surfaces, and improved techniques to evaluate mucosal immune responses. They agreed that insufficient understanding of innate and mucosal immunity is a significant bottleneck in vaccine development and they called for additional research in several areas. Substantial effort needs to be devoted to designing and developing novel vaccine candidates that target mucosal tissues, both at the portal of entry as well as within the mesenteric lymphatic system, where the "battle" with the virus takes place.
A summary of the workshop is available in Section II of the Enterprise Report of Activities 2005-2007
Working Group Participants
- Alan Aderem
- Lesley Bergmeir
- Jason Brenchley
- Heather Davis
- Jorge Flores*
- Bart Haynes*
- Tom Hope
- Pamela Kozlowski
- Roger Le Grand
- Thomas Lehner
- Norman Letvin
- Jay Levy
- John Mascola
- Julie McElrah
- Philip Norris
- Gillis Otten
- Jo-Ann Passmore
- Bali Pulendran*
- Helen Quill
- Bob Seder
- Rafick-Pierre Sékaly
- Barbara Shacklett
- Robin Shattock*
- Georgia Tomaras
- Ron Veazey
- Peter Wright
*Workshop Organizing Committee Members