Reference number : GC-2017-Q1-00529, amendment number : , agreement type : G, recipient legal name : Fortin, Marc-André (Université Laval), recipient country : CA, recipient province : nan, recipient city : Quebec|Québec, recipient postal code : nan, program name english : Engage Grants for Universities, program name french : Subventions d'engagement partenarial pour les universités, program purpose english : Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) represent one of the most exciting emerging vaccine technologies for generating_x000D_
effective and long-lasting immune protection. VLPs consist of protein shells studded with short strands of the_x000D_
proteins specific to whatever disease the vaccine is intended to control. VLPs are made to look like a virus,_x000D_
allowing them to be recognized readily by the body's immune system, however, they lack the core genetic_x000D_
material, making them non-infectious and unable to replicate._x000D_
The development of a reliable and efficient quantitative biodistribution methodology based on nuclear imaging,_x000D_
is a prerequisite for the development of mid and long-term research projects aiming at establishing strong_x000D_
correlations between the strength of the immune response, and the local presence of virus-like particles in vivo._x000D_
This project will enable the development of an efficient methodology a) to radiolabel VLP with radioisotopes_x000D_
for positron emission tomography (PET), b) to purify thus-radiolabeled VLPs by size-exclusion_x000D_
chromatography (SEC), 3) to provide PET biodistribution of radiolabeled VLPs, injected in a mouse model._x000D_
This short-term research project will provide the following key information, essential for planning subsequent_x000D_
VLP biodistribution studies: radiolabeling parameters (chelate, chelate binding reaction time, temperature,_x000D_
chelation challenge); SEC purification parameters (max. mass of VLP to be eluted; elution kinetics; elution_x000D_
profile; handling of radioactive waste produced by SEC); parameters for preserving VLP functionality;_x000D_
minimum mass and activity of radiolabeled VLP to be injected, to reach acceptable PET biodistribution_x000D_
profiles. At the end of this short-term project, the company will have access to a complete methodology for the_x000D_
PET biodistribution of VLPs in vivo. The team will be able to plan a full-scale research project, with the aim of_x000D_
correlating the effectiveness of VLPs as vaccination products, with several biodistribution signatures revealed_x000D_
in PET data. This methodology has the potential to accelerate the validation of new VLP-based vaccines., program purpose french : Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) represent one of the most exciting emerging vaccine technologies for generating_x000D_
effective and long-lasting immune protection. VLPs consist of protein shells studded with short strands of the_x000D_
proteins specific to whatever disease the vaccine is intended to control. VLPs are made to look like a virus,_x000D_
allowing them to be recognized readily by the body's immune system, however, they lack the core genetic_x000D_
material, making them non-infectious and unable to replicate._x000D_
The development of a reliable and efficient quantitative biodistribution methodology based on nuclear imaging,_x000D_
is a prerequisite for the development of mid and long-term research projects aiming at establishing strong_x000D_
correlations between the strength of the immune response, and the local presence of virus-like particles in vivo._x000D_
This project will enable the development of an efficient methodology a) to radiolabel VLP with radioisotopes_x000D_
for positron emission tomography (PET), b) to purify thus-radiolabeled VLPs by size-exclusion_x000D_
chromatography (SEC), 3) to provide PET biodistribution of radiolabeled VLPs, injected in a mouse model._x000D_
This short-term research project will provide the following key information, essential for planning subsequent_x000D_
VLP biodistribution studies: radiolabeling parameters (chelate, chelate binding reaction time, temperature,_x000D_
chelation challenge); SEC purification parameters (max. mass of VLP to be eluted; elution kinetics; elution_x000D_
profile; handling of radioactive waste produced by SEC); parameters for preserving VLP functionality;_x000D_
minimum mass and activity of radiolabeled VLP to be injected, to reach acceptable PET biodistribution_x000D_
profiles. At the end of this short-term project, the company will have access to a complete methodology for the_x000D_
PET biodistribution of VLPs in vivo. The team will be able to plan a full-scale research project, with the aim of_x000D_
correlating the effectiveness of VLPs as vaccination products, with several biodistribution signatures revealed_x000D_
in PET data. This methodology has the potential to accelerate the validation of new VLP-based vaccines., agreement title english : Quantitative biodistribution of viral nanoparticles by nuclear imaging, agreement title french : Quantitative biodistribution of viral nanoparticles by nuclear imaging, agreement number : EGP, agreement value : 25000.0, agreement start date : 2017-06-14, agreement end date : nan, description english : nan, description french : nan, expected results english : nan, expected results french : nan, additional information english : Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year. (2017-2018 to 2018-2019), additional information french : Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier. (2017-2018 à 2018-2019), owner organization : nserc-crsng, owner organization title : Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada