Moderna's experimental cancer vaccine treats but doesn't prevent melanoma – a biochemist explains how it works

Preventive and therapeutic vaccines both train the immune system to fight disease, but they are used in different ways.

Mark R. O'Brian, Professor and Chair of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo • conversation
Jan. 17, 2023 • ~8 min

Will omicron-specific booster shots be more effective at combating COVID-19? 5 questions answered

The FDA’s authorization of the reformulated COVID-19 booster shots represents a major step in the effort to get more Americans boosted.

Mitzi Nagarkatti, Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina • conversation
Sept. 1, 2022 • ~9 min

Will omicron-specific booster shots be effective at combating COVID-19? 5 questions answered

The FDA’s authorization of the reformulated COVID-19 booster shots represents a major step in the effort to get more Americans boosted.

Mitzi Nagarkatti, Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina • conversation
Sept. 1, 2022 • ~9 min

Nanoparticles are the future of medicine – researchers are experimenting with new ways to design tiny particle treatments for cancer

The COVID-19 mRNA vaccines put nanomedicine in the spotlight as a potential way to treat diseases like cancer and HIV. While the field isn’t there yet, better design could help fulfill its promise.

Duxin Sun, Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan • conversation
May 4, 2022 • ~9 min

Will new vaccines be better at fighting coronavirus variants? 5 questions answered

Existing coronavirus vaccines are not as effective against newer variants of the virus. Two vaccine experts explain how new vaccines currently in development will likely offer better protection.

Krishna Mallela, Professor of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus • conversation
May 4, 2022 • ~9 min

Why we can't 'boost' our way out of the COVID-19 pandemic for the long term

Research suggests that too-frequent immunizations may lead to a phenomenon called “immune exhaustion.”

Mitzi Nagarkatti, Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina • conversation
April 15, 2022 • ~9 min

How does the immune system mobilize in response to a COVID-19 infection or a vaccine? 5 essential reads

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought immunology terms that are typically relegated to textbooks into our everyday vernacular. These stories helped us make sense of the ever-evolving science.

Amanda Mascarelli, Senior Health and Medicine Editor • conversation
March 17, 2022 • ~9 min

How long does protective immunity against COVID-19 last after infection or vaccination? Two immunologists explain

Because COVID-19 is a relatively new virus, researchers still aren’t sure exactly how long vaccines and prior infections provide protection.

Mitzi Nagarkatti, Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina • conversation
Feb. 25, 2022 • ~11 min

mRNA vaccines, asteroid missions and collaborative robots: what to watch in science in 2022 – podcast

Experts give us a science preview for 2022, plus what lies in store for global inequality. Listen to The Conversation Weekly podcast.

Gemma Ware, Editor and Co-Host, The Conversation Weekly Podcast, The Conversation • conversation
Jan. 6, 2022 • ~7 min

What happens when the COVID-19 vaccines enter the body – a road map for kids and grown-ups

An infectious disease doctor explains the science behind COVID-19 vaccines at a level that children – and adults – of all ages can understand.

Glenn J Rapsinski, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellow, University of Pittsburgh • conversation
Aug. 30, 2021 • ~8 min

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