Abstract

Basic rules in vaccinology were established by L. Pasteur at the end of the 19th century. This classical approach has delivered vaccines against 27 different infectious agents and has led to the reduction in several devastating infectious diseases and eradication of smallpox. However, there are numerous diseases that have resisted the classical approach in vaccinology. These are spreading globally, and the need for innovative strategies is obvious. Development of molecular biology has already yielded tangible results in vaccinology. A new approach, „reverse vaccinology,“ uses genomic information to identify antigens suitable for vaccine development from any microorganism over a short time frame. This article describes how this method was used to develop a vaccine against meningococcus B. It also explains the role of structural biology in development of vaccines refractory to existing efforts, as well as in improvement of currently available vaccines.