VALIDATE Directors' Fund Update #1
Taking place 13 January 2027, 15:00 GMT - Online Via Zoom
VALIDATE Members Only
About the Seminar
In 2025, VALIDATE launched the Directors’ Fund, offering grants of up to £5,000 for innovative activities supporting research, career development, capacity building and public engagement within VALIDATE’s remit.
In 2027, our Directors’ Fund seminar series will bring awardees together to share updates on their projects, discuss the challenges they are facing and explore the potential outcomes and benefits of their VALIDATE-funded work.
The Talks
Dr Susana Flores Villalva, INIFAP, Mexico
Vaccines Across Species: understanding mechanisms, importance, and shared benefits under a One Health approach
This project uses the One Health framework to improve public understanding of vaccination and its benefits for people and animals. It will equip local vaccine communicators in Morelos, Mexico, to deliver community activities following practical training. Workshops, outreach events and a public mural will explore how vaccines work, their shared history across species and their contribution to preventing diseases transmitted between animals and humans.
Mr Oluwaseun Taofeek, Helix Biogen Institute, Nigeria
Assessing the feasibility, acceptability, and implementation strategies for novel TB vaccines among adolescents and adults in Nigeria
This study explores how M72/AS01E vaccination and BCG revaccination could be introduced for adolescents and adults in Nigeria. In-depth interviews with stakeholders from academia, government, civil society and non-governmental organisations will examine acceptability and practical feasibility. The findings will identify obstacles, enabling factors and implementation approaches to inform future national TB vaccination planning.
Dr Shuailin Li; VALIDATE Associate; University of Oxford, UK
Employing a high-throughput screening platform to identify epitopes recognised by mycobacteria-reactive TCRs that expand in the lung mucosa following aerosol BCG challenge
Project Aims
This study aims to employ a high-throughput screening platform to identify epitopes recognised by mycobacteria-reactive TCRs that expand in the lung mucosa following aerosol BCG challenge. This project will focus on optimising the high-throughput screening platform, enabling systematic identification of vaccine-relevant mycobacterial epitopes.