Overview
Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death by an infectious agent worldwide. The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is the only licensed vaccine against TB and the most widely used vaccine in history. Since 1921, billions of people have been vaccinated with BCG, resulting in a remarkable decline in infant mortality. However, although BCG's efficacy to prevent TB meningitis and disseminated disease in children is well established, its efficacy to prevent infection, disease or reactivation in adolescents and adults is variable, and novel TB vaccines are urgently needed. Recent clinical trials have shown promising results, offering hope for the introduction of a new generation of vaccines to replace or boost BCG, in the near future. The book is structured into six sections, each providing sequential relevance to understanding the current landscape and future developments in TB vaccines. Section 1 provides an introduction to TB and the causative agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Section 2 presents historical perspectives on BCG and TB vaccine candidates. Section 3 focuses on preclinical vaccines against TB. Section 4 examines vaccines against TB currently in clinical trials. Section 5 discusses public health, epidemiology, and societal challenges associated with the development of TB vaccines. Finally, section 6 covers financial challenges for the development and implementation of TB vaccines. This book is an essential tool for students, clinicians, and scientists working in the fields of mycobacteriology, vaccine immunology, vaccine development, and TB vaccines, and it is anticipated to stimulate future research in TB vaccine development.
Full Product Details
Author: Paulo Bettencourt
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG
Imprint: Springer International Publishing AG
ISBN: 9783031945397
ISBN 10: 3031945395
Pages: 407
Publication Date: 11 August 2025
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming
Availability: Not yet available
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Author Information
Paulo J. G. Bettencourt holds a BSc in Biotechnology from ISHT in Lisbon, Portugal, a Master's degree in Immunology and Immunogenetics from the University of Manchester, UK, and a PhD in Pharmacy from the University of Lisbon, Portugal. He completed seven years of post-doctoral research in Vaccinology at the renowned Jenner Institute at Oxford University, UK, where the ChAdOx1-S/nCoV-19 vaccine against COVID-19, and the R21 vaccine against malaria were developed. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor, Principal Investigator, Director of the Research and Teaching Laboratories, and Coordinator of the MSc in Immunology and Vaccinology, at the new Faculty of Medicine at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP), which he co-founded. Additionally, he was appointed as the coordinator of the platform CatólicaMed at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Health, at UCP. His postdoctoral research has led to the identification of three new candidate antigens for TB vaccines, currently in preclinical development. Prof. Bettencourt's current research is focused on three main areas: 1) the interaction between pathogens and the immune system focusing on the discovery of antigens using immunopeptidomics, 2) the translation of fundamental immunology into the design of mRNA vaccines against TB, malaria, and Staphylococcus aureus infections, and 3) the impact of Vaccination in Global Health. Through the combination of immunology and vaccinology, Prof. Bettencourt aims to contribute to the development of innovative medical interventions with significant importance and impact for humanity.
