SARS-CoV-2 Variants, Vaccines, and Immunology

Dear Colleagues,

SARS-CoV-2 has imposed a global threat and severely impacted the world, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic having resulted in millions of hospitalizations and deaths, which has been further exacerbated by the emergence of new variants.

Recent scientific and technological advancements have led to development of multiple vaccines at an unprecedent speed, some of which reached the public within just one year, which is highly encouraging; however, emerging variants have compromised the efficacy of available vaccines and created a pressing need to develop new vaccines. Current research has therefore focused on the development of both new variant-specific and pan-coronaviral vaccines. In addition to vaccines, the efficacy of therapeutic antibodies has also been compromised in the face of evolving variants, which warrants the development of variant-resistant broadly neutralizing antibodies and other therapeutic agents.

Immunity acquired by vaccination or infection naturally fades with time, which further increases the risk of infection or re-infection. However, the rate of fading varies among individuals, where some individuals have a relatively slower rate than others, but the factors influencing this variation are not yet clear. Despite much research having been conducted in a relatively short span of time, a clear understanding of the detailed immune response is still needed. Why are some individuals more susceptible to infection or severe illness; what defines protective immunity and how long it lasts; are there any differences in immunity acquired by different vaccine regimes or with infections, and what factors affect this; and how can the efficacy of vaccines and therapeutic agents be further improved?

For this Special Issue, we invite contributions that focus on the advancement of our understanding of evolving SARS-CoV-2, its immunological responses, and new vaccine strategies. 

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions.

Dr. Avneesh Gautam
Guest Editor

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• COVID-19
• SARS-CoV-2 and its variants
• immunological responses
• vaccine efficacies
• pan-coronaviral vaccines
• neutralizing antibodies
• antibody kinetics and durability