A step toward a universal flu vaccine.

[2greys]

Each year, the flu vaccine has to be redesigned to account for mutations that the virus accumulates, and even then, the vaccine is often not fully protective for everyone.

Researchers at MIT and the Ragon Institute of MIT, MGH, and Harvard are now working on strategies for designing a universal flu vaccine that could work against any flu strain. In a study appearing today, they describe a vaccine that triggers an immune response against an influenza protein segment that rarely mutates but is normally not targeted by the immune system.

The vaccine consists of nanoparticles coated with flu proteins that train the immune system to create the desired antibodies. In studies of mice with humanized immune systems, the researchers showed that their vaccine can elicit an antibody response targeting that elusive protein segment, raising the possibility that the vaccine could be effective against any flu strain.

news.mit.edu/2020/universal...

[SquirrelsHolt]

Morning to you and a terrific article you've got for us today from Harvard. It does take me quite a while and very often a re-read, to understand to the best of my ability ,all about the amazing work these ridiculously clever people are able to do. Amazing. If they have found a possible vaccination, can you just imagine the jubilation and one hell of an "office party" !!! 🐿🌈

[RoadRunner44]

This is a particularly exciting bit of news 2greys. Such a lot of wonderful research is going on all over the world and this bit looks very promising. Thanks for posting it.

[pegbl]

That's a very interesting article and very beneficial if it works. Thanks for the info.

[Jaybird19]

But profit will be less if you dont need to repeat each year. Some companies would not like that.

Sorry to be cynical.

[2greys in reply to Jaybird19]

It may be cynical, but a very valid comment.

Even if it was needed every year, as the vaccine efficacy may wear off over time, as the present ones do. It will still be worth having as it will cover all the strains, whereas the present ones are a little pot luck, relying on odds of forecasting.

[Jaybird19 in reply to 2greys]

Yes agreed . There are a lot of good things coming out of this time.

Feeling grumpy today with too much to do and a problem knee !