The design and implementation of the immune epitope database and analysis resource.

Epitopes are defined as parts of antigens interacting with receptors of the immune system. Knowledge about their intrinsic structure and how they affect the immune response is required to continue development of techniques that detect, monitor, and fight diseases. Their scientific importance is reflected in the vast amount of epitope-related information gathered, ranging from interactions between epitopes and major histocompatibility complex molecules determined by X-ray crystallography to clinical studies analyzing correlates of protection for epitope based vaccines.

The immune epitope database and analysis resource: from vision to blueprint.

A planned repository of immune epitope data with associated analysis tools should be a boon to vaccine development