Vaccinology: Science, Innovation, and Global Impact

Week 1: Principles of Immunity in Vaccinology

• Innate and adaptive immune responses

• Antigen presentation and memory formation

• Types of immunity: active, passive, herd

Week 2: Types and Platforms of Vaccines

• Live attenuated, inactivated, subunit, toxoid, conjugate vaccines

• Recombinant and DNA/RNA-based vaccines

• Vector-based and peptide vaccines

Week 3: Antigen Discovery and Vaccine Design

• Epitope mapping and reverse vaccinology

• Use of AI in antigen prediction

• Bioinformatics databases (IEDB, Vaxign)

Week 4: Adjuvants and Formulation Technologies

• Common adjuvants: Alum, AS01, MF59, CpG

• Role of nanotechnology in vaccine delivery

• Stability, storage, and thermostability challenges

Week 5: Preclinical Testing and Model Systems

• Animal models in immunogenicity and safety assessment

• Immunoassays: ELISA, neutralization tests, cytokine profiling

• Toxicology and biodistribution

Week 6: Clinical Trial Phases and Design

• Phase I–IV vaccine trial structure

• Placebo controls, blinding, and trial randomization

• Trial endpoints: safety, efficacy, immunogenicity

Week 7: Global Regulatory Pathways

• WHO prequalification and Emergency Use Authorization (EUA)

• FDA, EMA, DCGI/CDSCO roles

• Good Clinical Practice (GCP), GMP, and vaccine approval process

Week 8: Pharmacovigilance and Post-marketing Surveillance

• AEFI monitoring and signal detection

• Risk-benefit analysis and vaccine recall protocols

• Reporting systems: VAERS, VigiBase, e-reporting platforms

Week 9: Ethical Considerations in Vaccine Development

• Informed consent and community engagement

• Testing in vulnerable populations

• Ethics of placebo use and global access equity

Week 10: AI and Deep Tech in Vaccine R&D

• Machine learning for epitope prediction and immune profiling

• Computational vaccinology and predictive models

• Blockchain and cloud systems in trial data management

Week 11: Novel Technologies and Global Case Studies

• mRNA vaccines: Moderna, Pfizer platforms

• Viral vector vaccines: AstraZeneca, J&J

• Lessons from COVID-19 and emerging disease threats

Week 12: Future Prospects in Vaccine Innovation

• Universal vaccines and pan-pathogen approaches

• Personalized cancer vaccines

• 3D bioprinting, oral/mucosal vaccines, and synthetic biology