"Training the next generation of scientists is one of my greatest pleasures.  It is so exciting to see a student move from the initial stage of struggling to make the simplest assay work in the lab to the advanced stage of skillfully defining the direction of their project and using novel methods to achieve answers to challenging research questions.  It is my sincere hope that during a student's tenure in my lab, the student and I establish a bond that will continue in the years to come."

Adjuvant properties of Gram-negative flagellin

In view of the extraordinary potency of flagellin as an activator of cells that are involved in host defense, we are focusing on the adjuvant properties of flagellin in the context of acellular vaccines against Yersinia pestis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, poxviruses, as well as drugs of abuse.  Our work has revealed that a flagellin fusion protein containing two antigens of Y. pestis promotes the development of a protective response against Y. pestis in mice and nonhuman primates.  We have completed the preclinical development of this vaccine and it will enter Phase I clinical trials in early 2009.   A vaccine against Pseudomonas aeruginosa is ready for preclinical development and hopefully a clinical trial in cystic fibrosis patients.

Publications

Mizel SB, Graff AH, Sriranganathan N, Ervin S, Lees CJ, Lively MO, Hantgan RR, Thomas MJ, Wood J, Bell B (2009) Flagellin-F1-V fusion protein is an effective plague vaccine in mice and two species of nonhuman primates. Clin. Vaccine Immunol. 16:21-28.

Weimer E, Lu H, Kock N, Wozniak DJ, Mizel SB (2009) A vaccine containing OprF epitope 8, OprI, and type A and B flagellin fusion proteins promotes enhanced clearance of nonmucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Infect. Immun. 77:2356-2366.

Bates JT, Uematsu S, Akira S, Mizel SB (2009) Direct stimulation of tlr5^+/+ CD11c⁺ cells is necessary for the adjuvant activity of flagellin. J. Immunol., 182:7539-7547.

Weimer E, Ervin SE, Wozniak DJ, Mizel SB (2009) Immunization of young African green monkeys with OprF epitope 8-OprI-type A- and B-flagellin fusion proteins promotes the production of protective antibodies against nonmucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Vaccine, in press.

PubMed link to Mizel SB