Biomimetic minerals to expand the therapeutic potential of mRNA vaccines

Messenger RNA (mRNA) therapies represent a groundbreaking advancement in modern medicine, offering an effective, adaptable platform to treat disease. mRNA therapies leverage the body’s cellular machinery to produce medicines directly within the patient’s own cells. mRNA therapies were the critical component in COVID19 vaccines and are also being developed to treat cancer and genetic disorders.

Despite their potentially transformative potential, mRNA therapies are intrinsically unstable, which means they must be kept continuously at ultra-cold temperatures and only provided to patients by healthcare professionals in a well-resourced clinic. This results in high cost and inequitable distribution of mRNA therapies worldwide. This project will formulate more effective mRNA vaccines that can be stored indefinitely at room temperature and accessed by patients worldwide in a simple pill form. The research team will initially address two urgent societal needs: vaccines to treat prostate cancer and vaccines against the spread of H5N1 influenza.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

William Murphy, professor of biomedical engineering

CO-PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS

Suresh Marulasiddappa, professor of pathobiological sciences

Douglas McNeel, professor of hematology, medical oncology and palliative care

Jorge Osorio, professor of pathobiological sciences