Antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae represents a critical global health threat and a highly efficacious vaccine is urgently needed. The N. meningitidis serogroup B vaccine, 4CMenB provides protection against invasive meningococcal disease and has 30-40% effectiveness against N. gonorrhoeae in epidemiological studies. However, 4CMenB failed to show efficacy against gonorrhoea in recent studies in high-risk groups. Further work is needed to understand the key antigenic targets for gonorrhoea and potential correlates of protection.

The Oxford Vaccine Group (OVG) are establishing a urogenital gonorrhoea controlled human infection model (CHIM) in men to study the immune response to repeated experimental infection and identify potential correlates of protection to inform vaccine development.

This DPhil will integrate N. gonorrhoeae genomic analyses, immunological characterisation and translational science to discover novel antigenic targets and potential mechanisms of protection against gonorrhoea.

Using comparative genomics and antigenic cartography across our extensive Neisseria genome collection, we will map antigenic variability and identify cross-reactive, conserved epitopes with high population coverage.

Candidate antigens will then be validated by assessment of antigen-specific serological and cellular responses pre and post infection and correlation with protection in the CHIM. Immunological analysis will also explore epitope mapping for antigen-specific B and T responses and assessment of candidate functional assays including opsonophagocytosis killing (OPK) and serum bactericidal assay (SBA)). Findings will inform on the design of second-generation vaccine candidates.

This project expands Oxford University established Neisseria genomic work whilst leveraging exsisting expertise in CHIM and translational immunology. This project offers the opportunity to gain skills in fundamental science and translational research at a centre at the forefront of vaccine development. Students will develop expertise across molecular epidemiology, structural immunology, advanced sequencing, computational analyses, human immunology, experimental medicine and translational vaccine development, preparing them for leadership roles in academia, biotech, or pharmaceutical sectors.