The aim of the GENDRIVAX (GENome-DRIVen Vaccine) scientific programme is to develop novel prophylactic vaccines against invasive bacterial diseases caused by Salmonella and Neisseria. GENDRIVAX intends to combine the results of recent industrial research (novel platform technologies for producing highly affordable outer membrane antigen based vaccines for Gram-negative bacteria) with the detailed knowledge of the biology of Salmonella and Neisseria infections in Africa supplied by the academic partners. The aim is to make and test the revolutionary concept of vaccines that will be pan-specific.This project is based on collaboration between four institutes:1. Novartis Vaccines Institute for Global Health S.r.l. (NVGH), the industrial partner with a specific mission to develop vaccines for neglected diseases of developing countries.2. Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (WTSI), academic institution working in the research areas of genetics.3. Swiss Tropical Institute (STI), a public non-commercial organisation with the mission of contributing to health development.4. Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), the national body responsible for carrying out health science research in Kenya.The four partners have existing links that form the basis for developing an effective working relationship. However, the academic partners and the industrial partner collaborations are at an early stage (NVGH had its inauguration in February 2008). GENDRIVAX comes at an ideal time as it provides a perfect opportunity to bring together academic innovation with industrial expertise through joint training and exchange initiatives.This activity of Industry-Academia cooperation aims at fulfilling the following goals:1) to harmonise European research programmes, in order to achieve a critical mass on relevant topics;2) to foster exchange of scientists;3) to further improve the quality of European vaccine research of relevance for the developing countries.