There are a number of parasite vaccines currently being developed such as for Toxoplasmosis, Coccidiosis and Leishmaniosis. My specific project is on the development of a vaccine against canine Babesiosis. The bulk of my work has involved purifying a major protective antigen which protects the dog when used as a vaccine. The purification involves collecting in vitro culture supernatants. It is essential that the antigen is relatively pure for it to be incorporated into the adjuvant.
Adjuvants help to stimulate the appropriate protective immune response in the dog.
I live in Nijmegen, which is a very pleasant town situated in the south-east of Holland close to the German border. From here it is very easy to travel by train and explore the different towns and cities of the country. Living in Holland is a very interesting and challenging experience. Fortunately everyone can speak good English, so the language barrier has not been a huge problem. I have been taking Dutch classes and have the opportunity to practice daily at work.