vaccines Archives

WHO moves mpox response to the next level

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Mpox is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV). Outbreaks result from person-to-person spread through close contact, which may include sexual contact. In some settings outbreaks follow contact with an infected animal or consumption of contaminated meat. The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a new Strategic Framework for enhancing prevention and control of mpox in order to […]

Pathbreaking method leads to optimised mRNA production

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Dr Sekirnik and his team at Sartorius BIA Separations optimised a crucial step in the mRNA production process, resulting in higher yield at lower cost.

The COVID-19 pandemic placed mRNA at the centre of biopharmaceutical research, as mRNA is now being developed for cancer therapy, protein replacement therapy, and infectious diseases. That is why, worldwide, the need to produce mRNA on a large scale has increased dramatically. The currently used method is quite costly, limiting the scale-up of mRNA production. Dr Rok Sekirnik and colleagues […]

Self-assembled nanomaterials fight viral outbreaks

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Developing efficient ways to treat viral infections and control their spread in humans and animals has become a worldwide priority, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. Traditional approaches to creating vaccines suffer from very long development and testing times which make them unsuitable for treating new viral infections. Dr Alaa F Nahhas at King Abdulaziz University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, shows […]

Foot-and-mouth disease: A new antiviral stops the super-spreader in its tracks

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Tatsuya Nishi and Kazuki Morioka tested the effectiveness of antiviral drug T-1105 against foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) in pigs.

Dr Tatsuya Nishi and Dr Kazuki Morioka from the National Institute of Animal Health at the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Japan, have been testing a promising treatment against foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). Feeding pigs an antiviral drug (T-1105) may prevent any outbreak from spreading since it inhibits pigs from producing virus particles. Pigs are currently thought to be […]

Research Outreach – Issue 131: Vaccines, nanotech, and new teacher troubles

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Research Outreach Issue 131 covers the spectrum of scientific research from long-range submarine sensors to using nanotechnology in nuclear fusion, as well as social issues such as building inner strength, and how to support new teachers when teaching ‘out-of-field’. We cover a number of positive new insights in the field of medicine, including a valuable approach to childhood vaccines that […]

Conjugation chemistry creates affordable childhood vaccines

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Andrew Lees has developed a conjugation method for the development of conjugate vaccines using the chemical CDAP, and combining this with a minimal-profit business model, is providing vaccines at affordable rates to children in developing countries.

The immune system provides a formidable defence against pathogens. However, many bacteria possess a protective sugar polymer coat. In children, the immune system does not respond to these polymers unless they are chemically linked to a carrier. This is the basis of conjugate vaccines, a powerful but expensive means to fight diseases like pneumonia, the leading cause of death in […]

Nanomedicine for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 and other viruses

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Thomas J Webster develops nanomaterials for novel nanomedicine treatments of viruses such as COVID-19

While many viral infections can be prevented through vaccination, it can take a long time for vaccinations to be developed for new diseases and many people object to themselves or children taking vaccines. There is a high need for quicker, readily available alternative treatments. Serial entrepreneur Professor Thomas J Webster thinks this could be achieved using nanomaterials. Webster’s research has […]

An in-depth look at the East Coast fever vaccine

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Professor Andrew Peters and Dr Fiona Allan undertook a systematic literature review to better understand the vaccination options for East Coast fever, with an aim to inform policy and practice for liverstock keepers in sub-Saharan Africa.

East Coast fever causes significant losses among cattle in eastern, central and southern Africa, affecting the livelihoods of livestock keepers in these regions. There is no conventional vaccine for this disease and, instead, an infection and treatment method is implemented using Muguga cocktail and oxytetracycline. Professor Andrew Peters and Dr Fiona Allan of the University of Edinburgh conducted a systematic […]

All’s swell: Greener replacements for hazardous solvents in peptide synthesis

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There is growing awareness of the impact that solvents have on pollution, energy usage, contributions to air quality, and climate change. Consequently, sustainable solvents are a topic of growing interest, both within the research community and the chemical industry. A research team at Ipsen, Dublin, are forging the way ahead in the development of new, greener ways of manufacturing. Notably, […]