Influenza is a significant global health problem, causing disease and hospitalisations in elderly individuals and infants. While updated vaccines are available every year, their effectiveness is moderate at best. FLUniversal is a European Union funded consortium, aiming to develop a universal influenza vaccine by bringing together partners with expertise in different areas of vaccine development. An intranasal live attenuated vaccine, DeltaFLU, will be produced using an innovative platform; preclinical assessment in animal models and clinical studies using a controlled human infection model (CHIM) will be conducted for assessment of safety, immunogenicity and protective efficacy; and finally, comprehensive immunological analysis of blood and nasal mucosa will elucidate vaccine responses and potential new correlates of protection (CoPs). In addition to a universal influenza vaccine, listed as a top priority by the EU, FLUniversal seeks to deliver an enhanced vaccine manufacturing technology that is superior in terms of efficiency, production costs and production speed - especially critical in the face of a potential new pandemic. Moreover, an influenza CHIM with a focus on harmonisation of clinical procedures and assays will be established to generate translatable and reproducible data. Newly generated knowledge on mechanisms of protection, CoPs and new molecular analysis tools may significantly contribute to our knowledge on influenza infection and influenza vaccines. In conclusion, FLUniversal is an innovative and ambitious public-private partnership, aiming to present a new development pathway for influenza vaccines, and maximising impact by bringing together leading partners from academy and industry with a shared purpose of collaboration and innovation.

• MeSH
• Administration, Intranasal MeSH
• Vaccines, Attenuated immunology   administration & dosage   MeSH
• Influenza, Human * prevention & control   immunology   MeSH
• European Union MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Public-Private Sector Partnerships * MeSH
• Influenza Vaccines * immunology   administration & dosage   MeSH
• Vaccine Development * MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

BACKGROUND: Congenital forms of hearing impairment can be caused by mutations in the estrogen related receptor beta (ESRRB) gene. Our initial linkage studies suggested the ESRRB locus is linked to high caries experience in humans. METHODS: We tested for association between the ESRRB locus and dental caries in 1,731 subjects, if ESRRB was expressed in whole saliva, if ESRRB was associated with the microhardness of the dental enamel, and if ESRRB was expressed during enamel development of mice. RESULTS: Two families with recessive ESRRB mutations and DFNB35 hearing impairment showed more extensive dental destruction by caries. Expression levels of ESRRB in whole saliva samples showed differences depending on sex and dental caries experience. CONCLUSIONS: The common etiology of dental caries and hearing impairment provides a venue to assist in the identification of individuals at risk to either condition and provides options for the development of new caries prevention strategies, if the associated ESRRB genetic variants are correlated with efficacy.

• MeSH
• Tooth Demineralization * genetics   MeSH
• Child MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Genetic Association Studies MeSH
• Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14 MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Cell Line, Tumor MeSH
• Hearing Loss, Sensorineural genetics   pathology   MeSH
• Child, Preschool MeSH
• Receptors, Estrogen physiology   genetics   MeSH
• Pedigree MeSH
• Linkage Disequilibrium MeSH
• Dental Caries * genetics   MeSH
• Dental Enamel growth & development   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Child MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Child, Preschool MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH