University of Georgia (UGA)
The University of Georgia (UGA) is the oldest state-chartered institution of higher education in the United States. Spanning more than 750 acres on its main campus alone and employing almost 3,000 faculty members, UGA provides educational and research services to almost 35,000 individuals, including over 8,000 doctoral and professional students. With an annual budget in excess of $1.4 billion, annual externally sponsored research expenditures in excess of $200 million, and NIH awards totaling more than $60 million annually, UGA’s 17 colleges offer doctoral degrees in 96 areas spanning the liberal arts and humanities; business; journalism; public affairs; law, education, and social work; and include science-based colleges for veterinary medicine, ecology (the first stand-alone college of its type in the world), public health, pharmacy, engineering, and agriculture. The first cohort of medical students was admitted in 2010 to the Augusta University/UGA Medical Partnership, sharing the site of the former Navy Supply Corps School with UGA’s College of Public Health in Athens, GA.
The University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc. (UGARF) performs two primary functions in support of the research enterprise at the University of Georgia. UGARF is the named party to sponsored research agreements for projects to be performed at UGA. UGARF also owns the patents and other intellectual property developed at UGA. Through Innovation Gateway, UGARF protects, markets, and licenses its intellectual property portfolio throughout Georgia and the U.S. and across the globe. Funds acquired by UGARF are reinvested in the UGA research enterprise.
Main roles in project
UGARF will 1) design recombinant HA and NA vaccine antigen candidates, 2) produce the vaccine sequences for the preclinical validation in mice and ferrets of immunogenicity and the efficacy studies against different strains of influenza virus, 3) be responsible for the validation studies in ferrets, 4) transfer the critical technology for the production of the recombinant HA and NA antigens to the CRO selected for GMP manufacturing and 5) provide antigens for the immune monitoring following vaccination.
Contact: Prof. Ted Ross
