MI2025 – Ken Ishii

Title:
Vaccine science and adjuvant design by nucleic acids

Abstract:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Strategy for Strengthening the Vaccine Development and Production System, the Strategic Center of Biomedical Advanced Vaccine Research and Development for Preparedness and Response (SCARDA) was established at AMED in March 2022 to strengthen strategic research funding and to promote the formation of world-class research and development centers. Together with other 4 universities and supporting institutions, The UTOPIA Center in the University of Tokyo, is dedicated to pandemic preparedness, infection control, and advanced research in medical sciences, aligning with global objectives like the G7’s “100 Days Mission” to respond quickly to future pandemic threats.

This presentation likely covers the progress, strategies, and innovations in vaccine technology aimed at rapid deployment during health crises, contributing to global efforts in disease prevention and management, as well as the introduction of some innovative research and development for vaccines and the related science and technologies. In addition, we established the new modality as well as MOA for LNP-mRNA, Extracellular Vesicle (EV)-based vaccine and unique adjuvants such as TLR, CLR RLR and/or STING agonists. In particular, AI-assisted screening and design for vaccine/adjuvant R&D are of our particular interest. We also spend some efforts on outreaching from children to students to politicians to anti-vaxxers for vaccine confidence and acceptance.

Biography:
Prof. Ken J. Ishii, M.D., Ph.D., currently Director for Int. Vaccine Design Center, The Institute of Medical Science, the University of Tokyo, has almost 30 years of experience in Vaccine R&D since 1996 including 7 years as a IND reviewer at US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 7 years as a basic immunologist at Osaka University (Innate Immunology on nucleic acids with Prof. Shizuo Akira), 7 years as a vaccine adjuvant expert at National Institute (NIBIOHN), 2 years as managing director at AMED (medical funding agency), as well as Advisor for PMDA (regulatory agency), JST (funding agency), GHIT (global fund) in Japan and for CEPI and G7 100 days mission IPPS/STEG. He has contributed to basic research on infectious diseases and immunology, resulted in numerous books and over 270 periodical publications and 40,000 citations with H-index 90 as well as over 50 patents related to vaccine and adjuvant, and to regulation of many vaccines and guidelines for vaccine preclinical and clinical trials in Japan and US.