DNA Vaccines: Methods and Protocols

In DNA Vaccines: Methods and Protocols, state-of-the-art review articles by leading experts summarize how to develop and employ the highly promising new DNA vaccines, what clinical results can be expected from their use, and what is known about how they work. Key topics range from vaccine design and construction to preparation and delivery methods, including the use of classical adjuvants, "genetic adjuvants," and the immunostimulatory properties of DNA and selected oligonucleotide sequences. Several contributors provide strategic ideas on antigen engineering and describe the particularly novel applications of DNA vaccine methodology that have recently emerged. In addition, there is a discussion of dendritic cells and antigen-presenting cells, the understanding of whose actions holds great promise for modulating the immune response, and thus for treating disease. Cutting-edge and comprehensive, DNA Vaccines: Methods and Protocols provides a broad panorama of the methods and thinking from which the vaccines of tomorrow will evolve, and so constitutes an invaluable sourcebook for both experts developing new applications and newcomers who want to gain mastery of the techniques and problems involved.