Roadmap for Immunomodulators

What are we trying to achieve and why? What is the problem we are trying to solve?

Investigating early life programming of the immune system
(from a Th2 to a Th1 response).
Regulatory responses (including Th17).
Can we train the immune system to produce a more favourable response – whether it is Th1, Th2, Treg or others– are there early life events that can influence vaccination and subsequent ability to respond?

What are the scientific and technological challenges (knowledge gaps needing to be addressed)?

Identifying suitable products.
Role of stress on immune responses.
Improved understanding of the immune system maturation of new-born.

What approaches could/should be taken to address the research question?

Characterise and produce synthetic or purified compounds produced by mammalian mothers (colostrum, milk glycans, secondary metabolites).
Investigating Ifn gamma levels.
Investigating PRR agonists.
Antigens (or pathogens) at low dosage.

What else needs to be done before we can solve this need?

Improved understanding of the immune competence of the new-born.
Investigating what pathways are upregulated in the host when probiotics/bacterial agents/milk compounds are administered.
Confirmation that the same Th1/Th2 divide occurs in the species of concern.

Existing knowledge including successes and failures