What is the primary goal of your research?

We aim to develop a human-centric platform for selecting West Nile vaccine candidates. Traditionally, vaccines are screened in mouse models, but many of these candidates fail to protect humans because mice do not replicate the full complexity of the human immune system (e.g., environmental exposures, vaccination history, infections, microbiome). To address this gap, we use human tonsil‑derived immune “mini‑organs” (organoids) that accurately mimic human immune responses. By comparing responses in both mice and these organoids, we can prioritize vaccine candidates most likely to succeed in humans.

What are the latest results you have achieved?

As a proof of concept, we validated our organoid platform using existing commercial vaccines. We demonstrated that the organoids mount human‑relevant immune responses, for example by producing specific antibodies and T‑cell activation against influenza, measles‑mumps‑rubella (MMR), and rabies vaccines

What are the next steps in your research?

We will test the vaccine candidates developed by our consortium partners, directly compare those human‑organoid results with data from our colleagues at IrsiCaixa, and then integrate both sets of human‑based findings with the mouse‑model outcomes to select the most promising vaccine candidates.