Effect of Viral Adaptation and T Cell Receptor Usage on Natural and Vaccine-Induced Cellular Immunity

Viral infections incur a significant burden on humans and can persist for the lifespan of those infected. Consequently, there is a need to understand host-viral interactions to inform vaccine design. This Thesis focused on two viruses, influenza virus and human immunodeficiency virus, and explored the implications of host-viral interactions on vaccine design. The results of this Thesis provide an in-depth understanding of host-viral interactions, particularly in the context of viral adaptation and its impact on the anti-viral immune response. These findings are important for vaccine design and the ability to develop high efficacy vaccines for several mutable viral pathogens.