Innovation Anthology #84: Associate Professor and AIHS Heritage Scholar
There is still no known cure for Mad Cow disease. But some very promising work to develop a vaccine is underway at the University of Alberta.
Biochemist Dr. Nat Kav is studying antibodies produced by mice genetically engineered to be prion free. It’s the misfolding of prions that leads to mad cow disease.
Dr. Kav is growing smaller versions of the antibodies in bacteria. He will also take genes from the antibodies and insert them in plants like barley and canola. The idea is to engineer an edible vaccine for cows.
DR. NAT KAV: Historically it has been demonstrated that passively administering antibodies against pathogens can prevent the disease. So it should be theoretically possible to let the animals graze on a field of antibody producing plants and those animals would be protected from any infection that could arise from contaminated feed or whatever the case may be .
Dr. Kav must demonstrate the antibody can actually make it through the cows digestive tract . If successful, this research may also lead to a human vaccine against prion folding diseases.
Thanks today to Alberta Ingenuity.
FOR INNOVATION ANTHOLOGY, I’M CHERYL CROUCHER
Guest
Kirst King-Jones, PhD,
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, kirst.king-jones@ualberta.ca
Sponsor
Alberta Ingenuity
Established in 2000, the Alberta Ingenuity Fund supports science and engineering research of the highest calibre, to create a prosperous future for the province of Alberta. It draws funding from a $1 billion endowment established in 2000 and managed by the Government of Alberta to build the capacity for innovation, especially in areas with long lasting social and economic impact.
Among its many programs, Alberta Ingenuity supports graduate students and university researchers, industrial research and commercialization partnerships, and has established several Centres and Institutes.
In January 2010, under the new Alberta Innovation Framework, Alberta Ingenuity was restructured and absorbed in the new agency Alberta Innovates Technology Solutions.
Program Date: 2007-11-15