Nanoparticles in Vaccine Production
April 15, 2014 | Terry Sharrer

On-Demand-Vaccine
With funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, researchers at the University of Washington have developed and carried out animal studies of a new vaccine production method. Instead of growing pathogens in chicken eggs or cell cultures, this process relies on nanoparticles, engineered proteins and calcium phosphate which, when mixed with water, make “instant” vaccine. The particles provide structure which the proteins coat, and the calcium phosphate enhances absorption into hard tissue (bone and teeth) for long term immunization. All these components could be manufactured and stored in advance of a disease outbreak at depots around the world. MORE
Image Credit: University of Washington