Meningococcal diseases: From genomes to vaccines

Valuable information can be obtained from the complete genome sequence of a microorganism, which has changed the approach to vaccine development. The new approach, called ‘Reverse Vaccinology’ was first applied for Neisseria meningitidis, allowed the identification of new potential vaccine candidates. Moreover, the analysis of the transcriptome and proteome applied to vaccine discovery offers the opportunity to efficaciously complement genomic studies, gaining a better understanding of the pathogen biology as well as its interactions with the host–immune system.

Section editors:Gary Woodnutt – CovX, San Diego, USAPaul-Henri Lambert – Centre of Vaccinology, University of Geneva, Switzerland