research

RESEARCH FOCUS

Virus isolation, culture, and genetic analysis
Mechanisms of viral pathogenesis
Development of vaccine antigen using the isolated virus strain
Design and development of nanoparticle vaccines
Development and application of various vaccine platforms
Evaluation of vaccine efficacy using in vitro and in vivo systems
Mechanism studies of new and novel vaccine candidates
Development/Improvement of vaccine adjuvants and their immune mechanism studies
Age, disease, environment-dependent immune responses to virus and vaccines
Development, Evaluation, and Application of Antiviral candidates

Development of New Viral Vaccines

We develop vaccine antigens in various platforms from viruses isolated from the infected animals/human (Influenza virus, Rotavirus, Herpesvirus, etc.)
We design and apply various vaccine platforms including whole virus, mRNA, and nanoparticles
We evaluate the vaccine efficacy using in vitro and in vivo systems and investigate the underlying mechanisms of the vaccines

Improvement of Vaccine efficacy

in chronic inflammation / metabolic disease models

Patients with chronic inflammation (eg. Asthma) and metabolic disease (eg. obesity) exhibit low vaccine efficacy
To enhance the vaccine efficacy in these patients, we investigate the immune mechanisms of chronic inflammation and metabolic diseases and develop new and novel vaccine and vaccine adjuvant candidates

Development of new vaccine adjuvants

Vaccine adjuvant is additive for vaccine to enhance vaccine-induced immune responses
We develop new vaccine adjuvant candidates in various platforms and investigate the mechanisms of the vaccine adjuvants for clinical application

Antiviral activity of natural product-derived extracts

Natural products (herbs, marine algae, etc.) have been used in oriental therapy for a long period, but their active ingredient and action mechanisms were not fully understood
We explore natural products with antiviral activity and study their immune mechanisms

PUBLICATIONS (Since 2021)

Adjuvant combination enhances immune response of equine influenza virus vaccine in horses. Lee DH, Lee EB, Seo JP, Ko EJ. Equine Vet J. 2025 Sep 2. doi: 10.1111/evj.70090.
Cladophora wrightiana Var. Minor Extract Acts as an Adjuvant to Promote Natural Killer Cell Activation by Nasal Influenza Vaccine. Ho TL, Ahn SY, Ko EJ. Food Sci Nutr. 2025 Aug 19;13(8):e70807. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.70807.
Lactobacillus johnsonii JERA01 activates macrophages and increases Th-1 T cell population in mouse small intestine. Ahn SY, Joo HG, Ko EJ. PLoS One. 2025 Apr 24;20(4):e0320946. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0320946.
Evaluation of the influenza vaccine protection in the house dust mite-induced chronic allergic asthma mice model and the evaluation of squalene oil in water emulsion as an adjuvant candidate. Ahn SY, Ho TL, Ko EJ. Respir Res. 2025 Apr 10;26(1):132. doi: 10.1186/s12931-025-03209-6.
Adjuvant potential of Peyssonnelia caulifera extract on the efficacy of an influenza vaccine in a murine model. Ho TL, Ahn SY, Ko EJ. Sci Rep. 2024 Oct 25;14(1):25353. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-76736-9.
Monophosphoryl lipid A and poly I:C combination enhances immune responses of equine influenza virus vaccine. Lee DH, Lee J, Ahn SY, Ho TL, Kim K, Ko EJ. Vet Immunol Immunopathol. 2024 May;271:110743. doi: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2024.110743.
Immunostimulatory effects of marine algae extracts on in vitro antigen‐presenting cell activation and in vivo immune cell recruitment. Ho TL, Lee J, Ahn SY, Lee DH, Song WJ, Kang I, Ko EJ. Food Science & Nutrition. 2023 Aug 21;11(10):6560-6570. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.3605.
Adjuvant effects of combination monophosphoryl lipid A and poly I:C on antigen-specific immune responses and protective efficacy of influenza vaccines. Le CTT, Ahn SY, Ho TL, Lee J, Lee DH, Hwang HS, Kang SM, Ko EJ. Sci Rep. 2023 Jul 28;13(1):12231. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-39210-6.
Chronic allergic asthma induces T-cell exhaustion and impairs virus clearance in mice. Ahn SY, Lee J, Lee DH, Ho TL, Le CTT, Ko EJ. Respir Res. 2023 Jun 17;24(1):160. doi: 10.1186/s12931-023-02448-9.
In vitro effects of monophosphoryl lipid A and Poly I:C combination on equine cells. Lee DH, Lee EB, Seo JP, Ko EJ. J Vet Sci. 2023 May;24(3):e37. doi: 10.4142/jvs.23007.
Protective and vaccine dose-sparing efficacy of Poly I: C-functionalized calcium phosphate nanoparticle adjuvants in inactivated influenza vaccination. Lee J, Ahn SY, Le CTT, Lee DH, Jung J, Ko EJ. Int Immunopharmacol. 2022 Sep 14;112:109240. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.109240.
Evaluation of concurrent vaccinations with recombinant canarypox equine influenza virus and inactivated equine herpesvirus vaccines. Lee DH, Lee EB, Seo JP, Ko EJ. J Anim Sci Technol. 2022 May;64(3):588-598. doi: 10.5187/jast.2022.e30.
Functional NK Cell Activation by Ovalbumin Immunization with a Monophosphoryl Lipid A and Poly I:C Combination Adjuvant Promoted Dendritic Cell Maturation. Le CTT, Ahn SY, Kang SM, Ko EJ. Vaccines (Basel). 2021 Sep 23;9(10):1061. doi: 10.3390/vaccines9101061.
Monophosphoryl Lipid A and Poly I:C Combination Adjuvant Promoted Ovalbumin-Specific Cell Mediated Immunity in Mice Model. Ahn SY, Le CTT, Ko EJ. Biology (Basel). 2021 Sep 13;10(9):908. doi: 10.3390/biology10090908.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse