Sidra Staff Takes Part in Vaccine Response Study

Doha, April 21 (QNA) - Two experts from Sidra Medical and Research Center contributed in a study to find out causes that predict an individual's response to vaccination. Sidra's Chief Research Officer Dr Francesco Marincola and Division Chief of Translational Medicine Ena Wang took part in the study, Sidra announced Monday. The study shows age, genetics and environment may play a role in finding out how immune system reacts to vaccination. Sidra's key area of research is immunotherapy, a treatment that uses the body's immunity to treat or prevent disease. The study published in journal Cell is one of several recent advances in understanding human immunity in normal and pathogenic (disease-causing) conditions. Researchers immunized 63 healthy volunteers with the 2009 seasonal influenza vaccine and the 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza vaccine, to note their body's responses. Elaborating on the study, Dr Wang said, "Vaccination is one of the most powerful tools we have in the fight against diseases. Understanding how different factors affect efficacy of vaccines is important. "Healthy individuals' responses to vaccine at molecular, cellular and protein level vary. The study shows finding out existing baseline of an individual's immune status is a strong predictor of his or her response to vaccination." Understanding these causes is central to develop our knowledge of body's immunity and the ways in which we can harness it to prevent and treat disease, she said. The study's findings can be a reference hub for pathologic conditions, such as autoimmune disorder, cancer immunotherapy and transplant rejection. With better understanding of how immunity works in diverse conditions and in different people, we could adapt a patient's immunity and deliver personalised medicines for all, she said. (QNA)