Group A Streptococcus is a common bacterium behind everything from strep throat to life-threatening infections like sepsis. More troubling, repeated infections can trigger autoimmune complications such as rheumatic heart disease, which kills over 300,000 people annually. Yet, no licensed GAS vaccine exists.

A major roadblock has been our limited understanding of how the immune system naturally fights GAS, along with concerns that Strep A vaccines might unintentionally trigger autoimmune diseases. Current vaccine efforts focus on only a handful of GAS proteins, leaving many potential targets unexplored. This innovative approach will test how helper T cells—key immune system coordinators—respond to over 200 carefully selected GAS proteins. I’ll compare responses in healthy individuals, infected patients, and those with autoimmune heart complications. 

This comprehensive screening will be the largest of its kind, identifying vaccine targets that offer robust protection while avoiding dangerous autoimmune side effects. This work could ultimately pave the way for safer vaccines that protect millions of people from deadly and debilitating GAS infections.