Brain cancer in children is notoriously hard to treat – a new mRNA cancer vaccine triggers an attack from within

Cancer vaccines have gained much interest among scientists but face a number of hurdles. A new mRNA vaccine for glioma offers a step forward in training the immune system to fight cancer.

John Ligon, Assistant Professor of Hematology, University of Florida • conversation
May 1, 2024 ~9 min

Drugs of the future will be easier and faster to make, thanks to mRNA – after researchers work out a few remaining kinks

The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the promise of using mRNA as medicine. But before mRNA drugs can go beyond vaccines, researchers need to identify the right diseases to treat.

Li Li, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Sciences, UMass Chan Medical School • conversation
Jan. 4, 2024 ~9 min


Customizing mRNA is easy, and that's what makes it the next frontier for personalized medicine − a molecular biologist explains

From COVID-19 vaccines to cancer treatments and beyond, the flexibility of mRNA-based therapies gives them the potential to prevent and treat many types of diseases.

Angie Hilliker, Associate Professor of Biology, University of Richmond • conversation
Dec. 12, 2023 ~9 min

Tenacious curiosity in the lab can lead to a Nobel Prize – mRNA research exemplifies the unpredictable value of basic scientific research

The winners of the 2023 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine made a discovery that helped create the COVID-19 vaccines. They couldn’t have anticipated the tremendous impact of their findings.

André O. Hudson, Dean of the College of Science, Professor of Biochemistry, Rochester Institute of Technology • conversation
Oct. 3, 2023 ~9 min

Vaccines using mRNA can protect farm animals against diseases traditional ones may not – and there are safeguards to ensure they won't end up in your food

While mRNA vaccines are designed to last longer in the body than mRNA molecules typically would, they are also tested to ensure they are eliminated from livestock long before milking or slaughter.

David Verhoeven, Assistant Professor of Vet Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Iowa State University • conversation
May 17, 2023 ~10 min

Pivotal points in the COVID-19 pandemic – 5 essential reads

With the emergency phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the rearview mirror, at least for now, we look back on a handful of stories that provided sharp insights at key moments in the pandemic.

Amanda Mascarelli, Senior Health and Medicine Editor • conversation
May 17, 2023 ~9 min

How do you make a universal flu vaccine? A microbiologist explains the challenges, and how mRNA could offer a promising solution

Annual flu vaccines are in a constant race against a rapidly mutating virus that may one day cause the next pandemic. A one-time vaccine protecting against all variants could give humanity a leg up.

Deborah Fuller, Professor of Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Washington • conversation
Feb. 7, 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

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

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