# Proteomics-Driven Reverse Vaccinology for Gonorrhea

> **NIH NIH R01** · OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $737,096

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ng), the gram-negative bacterium responsible for the sexually transmitted infection
gonorrhea, is categorized as a high-priority pathogen for research and development efforts. In the US, over 50%
of Ng isolates are resistant to at least one antimicrobial and the CDC has ranked Ng as one of the top 5 urgent
antibiotic resistant threats. Gonorrhea outcomes are especially devastating in sexual, gender, racial, and ethnic
minorities and resource-limited countries. Ng’s “superbug” status, its high morbidity, and the serious health and
psychological impacts of gonorrhea necessitate vaccine development. To address the urgent need for an
effective and safe vaccine against gonorrhea, we propose to use a powerful Virus-like-Particle (VLP) vaccine
platform with a highly effective split-protein conjugation system to deliver promising Ng antigens (Ag) as full-
length and natively folded proteins. We selected for this proposal six promising lipoproteins based on their: 1)
exceptional conservation in >5K sequenced Ng isolates worldwide; 2) surface-exposure; 3) ability to elicit
bactericidal antibodies (Abs); 4) expression in geographically and temporally diverse Ng strains, during different
in vitro conditions and Ng infection in the gonorrhea mouse model; and 5) important functions in Ng pathogenesis
and physiology. We will: 1) Design and produce antigen-VLP formulations; 2) Identify Ag-VLP and adjuvant
combinations that generate robust immune responses; and 3) Evaluate efficacy of promising vaccines and
elucidate the immune correlates of protection. Our approach presents conceptual and technical innovations in
the gonorrhea vaccine field by pioneering VLP-display of conserved, full-length Ng lipoproteins, which will be
comparatively assessed for efficacy and potential mechanisms of protection.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10763015
- **Project number:** 5R01AI117235-08
- **Recipient organization:** OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Aleksandra Elzbieta Sikora
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $737,096
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-02-10 → 2027-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10763015

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10763015, Proteomics-Driven Reverse Vaccinology for Gonorrhea (5R01AI117235-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10763015. Licensed CC0.

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