The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation approached the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (PI Arlene Seña-Soberano) to propose a project to support efforts to develop a syphilis vaccine. The proposed work is focused on regions of the world from which few Treponema pallidum subs. pallidum isolates have been sequenced and on women of childbearing age. With the University of Washington and other partners, we will be whole-genome sequencing T. pallidum samples from these populations and, where possible, analyzing paired serum samples. Sequencing will be performed at UNC, the University of Washington, and/or at Masaryk University, and a biorepository established to support vaccine development. We will share the sequencing data and include the lead investigator from each contributing site on a future paper.

Sustainable Development Goals

Masaryk University is committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to improve the conditions and quality of life on our planet by 2030.