# Novel Antigen Identification for an enterotoxigenic E coli vaccine

> **NIH NIH R01** · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $570,104

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
The long-term objective of this project is to develop a safe and broadly protective vaccine for enterotoxigenic E.
coli (ETEC), a common cause of diarrhea worldwide. This highly collaborative project will rely on the combined
resources, and innovation of investigators with complementary expertise in molecular microbiology and
microbial pathogenesis, vaccinology, immunology, and advanced state-of-the-art structural biology to
investigate novel targets for ETEC vaccine development.
Specifically, the project will:
(1) examine whether two key surface proteins of ETEC can provoke immune recall (memory) responses that
are thought to be involved in sustained protection against infection
(2) develop monoclonal antibodies from circulating immune cells obtained from blood samples following natural
infections
(3) map where these antibodies bind on the two surface proteins that we plan to use in vaccines
(4) determine the overall structure of the proteins that we plan to use in vaccines
(5) test the ability of these monoclonal antibodies to neutralize protein function and the ability of the bacteria to
deliver toxins
(6) vaccinate mice with these proteins to test protection against infection
(7) test the activity of antibodies from mice and map where antibodies from mice bind the vaccine proteins
relative to the human antibodies.
The project will answer fundamental questions about the nature of the two proteins that are relevant not only to
ETEC but to other important pathogens that secrete similar proteins. Most importantly the project is expected
to provide critical information that can be translated into efficient design of a multi-featured vaccine for ETEC
that provides broad-based long-term protection.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9998577
- **Project number:** 2R01AI089894-12
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** James Michael Fleckenstein
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $570,104
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2010-07-01 → 2025-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9998577

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9998577, Novel Antigen Identification for an enterotoxigenic E coli vaccine (2R01AI089894-12). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9998577. Licensed CC0.

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