Since ancient times, it was thought that painful stomach ulcers were caused by eating spicy foods or having an unhealthy diet. But since then, researchers have found that Helicobacter pylori—a common bacterium found in over 60% of the world’s population—was the real culprit behind most stomach ulcers and a high risk for stomach cancer. 

EMpylori

Source: Yutaka Tsutsumi, M.D. Professor Department of Pathology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine

Electron micrograph of H. pylori possessing multiple flagella (negative staining)

Now scientists from the Ateneo de Manila University School of Science and Engineering’s Department of Biology are on the way to finding a vaccine to fight off the bacterium, possibly preventing stomach ulcers and lowering the risk for stomach cancer. 

READ MORE: Molecular roadmap links stomach infection to cancer risk

READ MORE: Gastric bacteria ‘leaking across stomach lining’ could indicate risk of gastric cancer

Ateneo biologists Demy Valerie Chacon, Kiana Alika Co, Daphne Noreen Enriquez, Aubrey Love Labarda, Reanne Eden Manongsong, and Edward Kevin Bragais used a cutting-edge approach called “immunoinformatics” that combines computer science with immunology to scan the genetic makeup of pathogens and predict which parts of them can trigger a strong immune response. By running thousands of gene sequences through these computational tools, researchers can narrow down the most promising vaccine targets much faster and at lower cost than through trial-and-error lab work alone.

Stomach survival proteins

The Ateneo biologists have identified key proteins produced by H. pylori that help it survive stomach acid, stick to the stomach lining, and evade the body’s natural immune system. Their analysis also identified parts of these proteins that are most likely to be safe, non-allergenic, and capable of activating protective immune cells.

Low-Res_In_silico_H_pylori_figure

Source: Chacon et al., 2025

Scientists from the Ateneo de Manila University’s Department of Biology are developing a potential vaccine against Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium responsible for most stomach ulcers and a major cause of stomach cancer worldwide. Using a cutting-edge approach called immunoinformatics, which combines computer science and immunology, the research team analyzed thousands of H. pylori gene sequences to identify specific proteins that help the pathogen survive stomach acid, attach to the stomach lining, and evade the immune system. Their computational analysis pinpointed several safe, non-allergenic protein regions that could trigger a protective immune response, offering promising vaccine targets. While still at the simulation stage, the study represents a significant step toward the world’s first H. pylori vaccine, which could help prevent stomach ulcers and lower cancer risk if future laboratory testing confirms the findings.

While their research findings are still preliminary and based on computer simulations, the next steps include laboratory testing to validate these predictions. To date, there are no approved vaccines against H. pylori despite ongoing tentative research in other laboratories around the world. However, if successful, the Ateneo research could pave the way for the first-ever H. pylori vaccine that could help guard against stomach ulcers and cancer.

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