We are investigating the various types of novel vaccines by using new advanced technology.
(1) Oral vaccine

We are investigating whether virus-like particles (VLP) composed from open reading frame 2 (ORF2) of hepatitis E virus (HEV), which is an oral transmissible virus, can be utilized as carrier molecules for an irrelevant epitope, such as HIV or influenza virus, and for stimulating mucosal immunity by oral administration. Oral administration of DNA vaccines using VLP of HEV is also examined. DNA vaccine (tuberculosis, cytokines or SOCS DNA vaccine) are encapsulated into VLP, and assessed therapeutic effects in not only infectious diseases but also allergy and autoimmune diseases.
Che-Yen Wang, Naoyuki Miyazaki, Tetsuo Yamashita, Akifumi Higashiura, Atsushi Nakagawa, Tian-Cheng Li, Naokazu Takeda, Li Xing, Erik Hjalmarsson, Claes Friberg, Der-Ming Liou, Yen-Jen Sung, Tomitake Tsukihara, Yoshiharu Matsuura, Tatsuo Miyamura and R. Holland Cheng
Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of recombinant hepatitis E virus-like particle
Acta Cryst. (2008). F64, 318-322
(2) Nasal vaccine
Human parainfluenza type 2 virus (hPIV2) is one of the human respiratory infectious viruses, and this virus can be derived by reverse genetics technology. We are investigating whether this virus can be used as a viral vector for vaccine and gene therapy.

(3) Recombinant BCG vaccine
A BCG vector is advantageous over other bacterial vectors. We are investigating the ability of recombinant BCG having various epitopes as a novel vaccine for prevention of infection or establishment of autoimmune disease. This project is in collaboration with Japan BCG Laboratory (Dr. Kazuhiro Matsuo).