![](\"https:\/\/wits-vida.org\/wordpress21\/wp-content\/uploads\/research-focus.jpg\" "\\"research-focus\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>Focus Areas<\/h2><\/div>Wits VIDA Research Unit<\/h4><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div>Wits VIDA\u2019s current focus areas include next-generation vaccines against rotavirus and TB, as well as development of novel vaccines targeted at pregnant women to protect their young infants against the leading causes of sepsis and pneumonia. Furthermore, Wits VIDA is one of seven participating units in the multi-country Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) programme, which aims at providing refined estimates as to the causes of stillbirths and under-5 childhood deaths in low-middle income countries (LMICs).<\/p>\n
In 2020, Wits VIDA embarked on leading the first two COVID-19 vaccine studies on the African continent, the Oxford<\/a> and Novavax<\/a> trials, and has undertaken multiple epidemiological and immunology studies on COVID-19 in healthcare workers, adults and pregnant women.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wits-vida.org\/wordpress21\/wp-content\/uploads\/focus-area-1.svg\")
<\/div>Clinical Vaccine Trials<\/h4><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wits-vida.org\/wordpress21\/wp-content\/uploads\/focus-area-7.svg\")
<\/div>Lab & Basic Science<\/h4><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wits-vida.org\/wordpress21\/wp-content\/uploads\/focus-area-5.svg\")
<\/div>Observational Studies<\/h4><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Clinical Vaccine Trials<\/h4><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Lab & Basic Science<\/h4><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Observational Studies<\/h4><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Research Focus<\/h3><\/div>Epidemiology & vaccines against Group B streptococcus disease<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Influenza Epidemiology & Influenza Vaccines<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Epidemiology & Risk Factors, including impact of the Vaginal Microbiome, on Fetal Outcomes & Neonatal Morbidity & Mortality<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Epidemiology & Prevention of Pneumococcal Disease<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Child Health & Mortality Program on Surveillance<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Epidemiology & Prevention of Pneumonia Morbidity & Sequelae in Children<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Prevention of Diarrheal Disease<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Immunity in HIV-Exposed & HIV-Uninfected Children<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Covid Epidemiology in South Africa<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>Epidemiology & vaccines against Group B streptococcus disease<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\nOverview<\/h5>\n
Through this research Wits VIDA aims to identify protein antigens common to most GBS invasive isolates with potential to be developed into vaccine candidates; as well as pre-clinical and clinical development and evaluation of GBS polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccines.<\/p>\n
Key areas of research:<\/h5>\n\n- Evaluate the prevalence of GBS colonization (including genetic characterization) in mother-newborn dyads and association with serotype-specific capsular antibodies in LMIC South Asian and African countries.<\/li>\n
- Determine the association of GBS surface protein antibodies against invasive GBS disease in infants and maternal colonization during pregnancy.<\/li>\n
- Collaborate with an international consortium on establishing a GBS standardized assay for evaluating vaccine responses.<\/li>\n
- To investigate for a correlate for protection against invasive GBS disease in neonates, which will be a potential pathway to licensure of a GBS vaccine for pregnant women.<\/li>\n
- To Undertake genetic characterization of GBS invasive disease and colonizing isolates in South Africa.<\/li>\n
- Evaluate the prevalence of serotype-specific memory B cells and impact of GBS rectovaginal acquisition on B cell responses during pregnancy.<\/li>\n
- Group B Streptococcus association with vaginal microbiome among pregnant women.<\/li>\n
- Determine the prevalence multiple GBS serotypes in pregnant women.<\/li>\n
- Animal model studies to evaluate of GBS protein epitopes (using in silico reverse vaccinology methods to being associated with protection against invasive disease) and multivalent capsular polysaccharide vaccine as being potential vaccine candidates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>
Influenza Epidemiology & Influenza Vaccines<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\nOverview<\/h5>\n
This research aims to identify protein antigens common to most GBS invasive isolates with potential to be developed into vaccine candidates; and clinical Building on past research on maternal influenza vaccination in protecting the women and their young infants against influenza illness, this research will address remaining questions geared toward better understanding the immune mediators for protection, especially among women living with HIV.<\/p>\n
Studies include:<\/h5>\n\n- Immune responses to Group-1 stalk protein antibody in women living with and without HIV (previously enrolled in the efficacy trial and randomized to receive inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) or placebo). This study will assist in understanding the disconnect between vaccine efficacy (high) and modest-low immunogenicity when measured by hemagglutinin antibody assays as is traditionally done in studies on IIV. The results from this study could also inform whether the stalk protein has potential into being developed as universal influenza vaccine, at least for Group-1 influenza viruses.<\/li>\n
- Investigate whether maternal influenza vaccination reduces severe disease among infants, with the clinical endpoints in the previous efficacy study mainly having represented mild illness. In particular, we will also try to address the effectiveness of maternal influenza vaccination for infants born to women living with HIV (i.e. HIV-exposed uninfected [HEU] infants). Also, we will investigate the role of maternal influenza vaccination in reducing hospitalization from all-cause pneumonia.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>
Epidemiology & Risk Factors, including impact of the Vaginal Microbiome, on Fetal Outcomes & Neonatal Morbidity & Mortality<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\nKey areas of the research:<\/h5>\n\n- Impact of the vaginal microbiome on risk of poor obstetric outcome, and risk for early-onset sepsis in the neonate. Pregnancy is normally a healthy physiological process that sometimes has complications such as pre- eclampsia and adverse outcomes including low birthweight (<2500 g), preterm birth (<37 weeks), growth restriction, miscarriage and\/or stillbirth. In pregnant women, an abnormal vaginal microbiome has been suggested to be a risk factor of these perinatal complications.<\/li>\n
- Burden of congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and association with stillbirths. Although the dogma has been that CMV infection during early life in Africa, leads to the majority of child bearing women already being infected,<\/li>\n
- and consequently having developed immunity which is protective to their foetuses, provisional data by my team and others is now beginning to refute this. This new area of research in the Unit, will focus on the burden of congenital<\/li>\n
- CMV infection and its sequelae, and also undertaking molecular characterization of CMV positive samples obtained from infants diagnosed with congenital CMV infection, as well as from CMV associated stillbirths.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>
Epidemiology & Prevention of Pneumococcal Disease<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\nOverview<\/h5>\n
Wits VIDA was pivotal in the introduction of the PCV into the South African National EPI. South Africa became the first African and middle-income country to introduce PCV into public immunization program in April 2009 following a study conducted by the unit. These findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine, 2003<\/a>. The findings informed global policy through recommendations made by the World Health Organization in 2007<\/a>.<\/p>\nWits VIDA has further played an integral part in measuring the impact of PCV introduction on child health in South Africa through participating in ground-breaking research [1]<\/a>[2]<\/a>[3]<\/a>[4]<\/a><\/p>\nFootnotes:<\/small><\/h5>\n
[1] von Gottberg A, de Gouveia L, Tempia S, Quan V, Meiring S, von Mollendorf C, Madhi SA, Zell ER, Verani JR, O’Brien KL, Whitney CG, Klugman KP, Cohen C; GERMS-SA Investigators. Effects of vaccination on invasive pneumococcal disease in South Africa. N Engl J Med. 2014 Nov 13;371(20):1889-99. doi: 10.1056\/NEJMoa1401914. Epub 2014 Nov 11. PMID: 25386897.<\/a><\/p>\n[2] Izu A, Solomon F, Nzenze SA, Mudau A, Zell E, O’Brien KL, Whitney CG, Verani J, Groome M, Madhi SA. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines and hospitalization of children for pneumonia: a time-series analysis, South Africa, 2006-2014. Bull World Health Organ. 2017 Sep 1;95(9):618-628. doi: 10.2471\/BLT.16.187849. Epub 2017 Jun 26. PMID: 28867842; PMCID: PMC5578378.<\/a><\/p>\n
Wits VIDA Research Unit<\/h4><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div>Wits VIDA\u2019s current focus areas include next-generation vaccines against rotavirus and TB, as well as development of novel vaccines targeted at pregnant women to protect their young infants against the leading causes of sepsis and pneumonia. Furthermore, Wits VIDA is one of seven participating units in the multi-country Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) programme, which aims at providing refined estimates as to the causes of stillbirths and under-5 childhood deaths in low-middle income countries (LMICs).<\/p>\n
In 2020, Wits VIDA embarked on leading the first two COVID-19 vaccine studies on the African continent, the Oxford<\/a> and Novavax<\/a> trials, and has undertaken multiple epidemiological and immunology studies on COVID-19 in healthcare workers, adults and pregnant women.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>Clinical Vaccine Trials<\/h4><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Lab & Basic Science<\/h4><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Observational Studies<\/h4><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Clinical Vaccine Trials<\/h4><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Lab & Basic Science<\/h4><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Observational Studies<\/h4><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Research Focus<\/h3><\/div>Epidemiology & vaccines against Group B streptococcus disease<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Influenza Epidemiology & Influenza Vaccines<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Epidemiology & Risk Factors, including impact of the Vaginal Microbiome, on Fetal Outcomes & Neonatal Morbidity & Mortality<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Epidemiology & Prevention of Pneumococcal Disease<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Child Health & Mortality Program on Surveillance<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Epidemiology & Prevention of Pneumonia Morbidity & Sequelae in Children<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Prevention of Diarrheal Disease<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Immunity in HIV-Exposed & HIV-Uninfected Children<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Covid Epidemiology in South Africa<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>Epidemiology & vaccines against Group B streptococcus disease<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\nOverview<\/h5>\n
Through this research Wits VIDA aims to identify protein antigens common to most GBS invasive isolates with potential to be developed into vaccine candidates; as well as pre-clinical and clinical development and evaluation of GBS polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccines.<\/p>\n
Key areas of research:<\/h5>\n\n- Evaluate the prevalence of GBS colonization (including genetic characterization) in mother-newborn dyads and association with serotype-specific capsular antibodies in LMIC South Asian and African countries.<\/li>\n
- Determine the association of GBS surface protein antibodies against invasive GBS disease in infants and maternal colonization during pregnancy.<\/li>\n
- Collaborate with an international consortium on establishing a GBS standardized assay for evaluating vaccine responses.<\/li>\n
- To investigate for a correlate for protection against invasive GBS disease in neonates, which will be a potential pathway to licensure of a GBS vaccine for pregnant women.<\/li>\n
- To Undertake genetic characterization of GBS invasive disease and colonizing isolates in South Africa.<\/li>\n
- Evaluate the prevalence of serotype-specific memory B cells and impact of GBS rectovaginal acquisition on B cell responses during pregnancy.<\/li>\n
- Group B Streptococcus association with vaginal microbiome among pregnant women.<\/li>\n
- Determine the prevalence multiple GBS serotypes in pregnant women.<\/li>\n
- Animal model studies to evaluate of GBS protein epitopes (using in silico reverse vaccinology methods to being associated with protection against invasive disease) and multivalent capsular polysaccharide vaccine as being potential vaccine candidates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>
Influenza Epidemiology & Influenza Vaccines<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\nOverview<\/h5>\n
This research aims to identify protein antigens common to most GBS invasive isolates with potential to be developed into vaccine candidates; and clinical Building on past research on maternal influenza vaccination in protecting the women and their young infants against influenza illness, this research will address remaining questions geared toward better understanding the immune mediators for protection, especially among women living with HIV.<\/p>\n
Studies include:<\/h5>\n\n- Immune responses to Group-1 stalk protein antibody in women living with and without HIV (previously enrolled in the efficacy trial and randomized to receive inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) or placebo). This study will assist in understanding the disconnect between vaccine efficacy (high) and modest-low immunogenicity when measured by hemagglutinin antibody assays as is traditionally done in studies on IIV. The results from this study could also inform whether the stalk protein has potential into being developed as universal influenza vaccine, at least for Group-1 influenza viruses.<\/li>\n
- Investigate whether maternal influenza vaccination reduces severe disease among infants, with the clinical endpoints in the previous efficacy study mainly having represented mild illness. In particular, we will also try to address the effectiveness of maternal influenza vaccination for infants born to women living with HIV (i.e. HIV-exposed uninfected [HEU] infants). Also, we will investigate the role of maternal influenza vaccination in reducing hospitalization from all-cause pneumonia.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>
Epidemiology & Risk Factors, including impact of the Vaginal Microbiome, on Fetal Outcomes & Neonatal Morbidity & Mortality<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\nKey areas of the research:<\/h5>\n\n- Impact of the vaginal microbiome on risk of poor obstetric outcome, and risk for early-onset sepsis in the neonate. Pregnancy is normally a healthy physiological process that sometimes has complications such as pre- eclampsia and adverse outcomes including low birthweight (<2500 g), preterm birth (<37 weeks), growth restriction, miscarriage and\/or stillbirth. In pregnant women, an abnormal vaginal microbiome has been suggested to be a risk factor of these perinatal complications.<\/li>\n
- Burden of congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and association with stillbirths. Although the dogma has been that CMV infection during early life in Africa, leads to the majority of child bearing women already being infected,<\/li>\n
- and consequently having developed immunity which is protective to their foetuses, provisional data by my team and others is now beginning to refute this. This new area of research in the Unit, will focus on the burden of congenital<\/li>\n
- CMV infection and its sequelae, and also undertaking molecular characterization of CMV positive samples obtained from infants diagnosed with congenital CMV infection, as well as from CMV associated stillbirths.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>
Epidemiology & Prevention of Pneumococcal Disease<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\nOverview<\/h5>\n
Wits VIDA was pivotal in the introduction of the PCV into the South African National EPI. South Africa became the first African and middle-income country to introduce PCV into public immunization program in April 2009 following a study conducted by the unit. These findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine, 2003<\/a>. The findings informed global policy through recommendations made by the World Health Organization in 2007<\/a>.<\/p>\nWits VIDA has further played an integral part in measuring the impact of PCV introduction on child health in South Africa through participating in ground-breaking research [1]<\/a>[2]<\/a>[3]<\/a>[4]<\/a><\/p>\nFootnotes:<\/small><\/h5>\n
[1] von Gottberg A, de Gouveia L, Tempia S, Quan V, Meiring S, von Mollendorf C, Madhi SA, Zell ER, Verani JR, O’Brien KL, Whitney CG, Klugman KP, Cohen C; GERMS-SA Investigators. Effects of vaccination on invasive pneumococcal disease in South Africa. N Engl J Med. 2014 Nov 13;371(20):1889-99. doi: 10.1056\/NEJMoa1401914. Epub 2014 Nov 11. PMID: 25386897.<\/a><\/p>\n[2] Izu A, Solomon F, Nzenze SA, Mudau A, Zell E, O’Brien KL, Whitney CG, Verani J, Groome M, Madhi SA. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines and hospitalization of children for pneumonia: a time-series analysis, South Africa, 2006-2014. Bull World Health Organ. 2017 Sep 1;95(9):618-628. doi: 10.2471\/BLT.16.187849. Epub 2017 Jun 26. PMID: 28867842; PMCID: PMC5578378.<\/a><\/p>\n
<\/span><\/div>Wits VIDA\u2019s current focus areas include next-generation vaccines against rotavirus and TB, as well as development of novel vaccines targeted at pregnant women to protect their young infants against the leading causes of sepsis and pneumonia. Furthermore, Wits VIDA is one of seven participating units in the multi-country Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) programme, which aims at providing refined estimates as to the causes of stillbirths and under-5 childhood deaths in low-middle income countries (LMICs).<\/p>\n
In 2020, Wits VIDA embarked on leading the first two COVID-19 vaccine studies on the African continent, the Oxford<\/a> and Novavax<\/a> trials, and has undertaken multiple epidemiological and immunology studies on COVID-19 in healthcare workers, adults and pregnant women.<\/p>\n<\/div> Through this research Wits VIDA aims to identify protein antigens common to most GBS invasive isolates with potential to be developed into vaccine candidates; as well as pre-clinical and clinical development and evaluation of GBS polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccines.<\/p>\n This research aims to identify protein antigens common to most GBS invasive isolates with potential to be developed into vaccine candidates; and clinical Building on past research on maternal influenza vaccination in protecting the women and their young infants against influenza illness, this research will address remaining questions geared toward better understanding the immune mediators for protection, especially among women living with HIV.<\/p>\n Wits VIDA was pivotal in the introduction of the PCV into the South African National EPI. South Africa became the first African and middle-income country to introduce PCV into public immunization program in April 2009 following a study conducted by the unit. These findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine, 2003<\/a>. The findings informed global policy through recommendations made by the World Health Organization in 2007<\/a>.<\/p>\n Wits VIDA has further played an integral part in measuring the impact of PCV introduction on child health in South Africa through participating in ground-breaking research [1]<\/a>[2]<\/a>[3]<\/a>[4]<\/a><\/p>\n [1] von Gottberg A, de Gouveia L, Tempia S, Quan V, Meiring S, von Mollendorf C, Madhi SA, Zell ER, Verani JR, O’Brien KL, Whitney CG, Klugman KP, Cohen C; GERMS-SA Investigators. Effects of vaccination on invasive pneumococcal disease in South Africa. N Engl J Med. 2014 Nov 13;371(20):1889-99. doi: 10.1056\/NEJMoa1401914. Epub 2014 Nov 11. PMID: 25386897.<\/a><\/p>\n [2] Izu A, Solomon F, Nzenze SA, Mudau A, Zell E, O’Brien KL, Whitney CG, Verani J, Groome M, Madhi SA. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines and hospitalization of children for pneumonia: a time-series analysis, South Africa, 2006-2014. Bull World Health Organ. 2017 Sep 1;95(9):618-628. doi: 10.2471\/BLT.16.187849. Epub 2017 Jun 26. PMID: 28867842; PMCID: PMC5578378.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>Clinical Vaccine Trials<\/h4><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>Lab & Basic Science<\/h4><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>Observational Studies<\/h4><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>Clinical Vaccine Trials<\/h4><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>Lab & Basic Science<\/h4><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>Observational Studies<\/h4><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Research Focus<\/h3><\/div>
Epidemiology & vaccines against Group B streptococcus disease<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Influenza Epidemiology & Influenza Vaccines<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Epidemiology & Risk Factors, including impact of the Vaginal Microbiome, on Fetal Outcomes & Neonatal Morbidity & Mortality<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Epidemiology & Prevention of Pneumococcal Disease<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Child Health & Mortality Program on Surveillance<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Epidemiology & Prevention of Pneumonia Morbidity & Sequelae in Children<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Prevention of Diarrheal Disease<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Immunity in HIV-Exposed & HIV-Uninfected Children<\/h4><\/a><\/li>
Covid Epidemiology in South Africa<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>
Epidemiology & vaccines against Group B streptococcus disease<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>
Overview<\/h5>\n
Key areas of research:<\/h5>\n
\n
Influenza Epidemiology & Influenza Vaccines<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>
Overview<\/h5>\n
Studies include:<\/h5>\n
\n
Epidemiology & Risk Factors, including impact of the Vaginal Microbiome, on Fetal Outcomes & Neonatal Morbidity & Mortality<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>
Key areas of the research:<\/h5>\n
\n
Epidemiology & Prevention of Pneumococcal Disease<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>
Overview<\/h5>\n
Footnotes:<\/small><\/h5>\n
![](\"https:\/\/wits-vida.org\/wordpress21\/wp-content\/uploads\/champs-graphic-01.svg\" "\\"champs-graphic-01\\"")
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