High-throughput sequencing and vaccine design.

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have reshaped genome research. The resulting increase in sequencing depth and resolution has led to an unprecedented level of genomic detail and thus an increasing awareness of the complexity of animal, human and pathogen genomes. This has resulted in new approaches to vaccine research. On the one hand, the increase in genome complexity challenges our ability to study and understand pathogen biology and pathogen-host interactions. On the other hand, the increase in genomic data also provides key information for developing and designing improved vaccines against pathogens that were previously extremely difficult to deal with, such as rapidly mutating RNA viruses or bacteria that have complex interactions with the host immune system. This review describes how the broad application of NGS technologies to genome research is affecting vaccine research. It focuses on implications for the field of viral genomics, and includes recent animal and human studies.