Protecting the Structural Stability of mRNA Vaccines 2

Protecting the Structural Stability of mRNA Vaccines 2

Linzixuan (Rhoda) Zhang, Jooli Han, Robert Langer, Ana Jaklenec

Koch Institute at MIT

Since the COVID pandemic, the emergence of mRNA vaccines revolutionized how human combats infectious diseases. However, the vaccine inequality due to various technical and regulatory barriers has expanded global healthcare disparity, leading to fewer than 10% of the population in low-income countries being vaccinated. The objective of this project is to employ a microdevice to free mRNA vaccines from the demand of cold-chain transportation and multiple injections, which will contribute to global vaccine equity.

The images highlight an elongated microdevice fabricated by a biodegradable, FDA-approved polymer. This micro-level container is filled with a layer of coating material (pink) and a layer of mRNA vaccine stabilized by polymer mixtures (blue). The images show us how the coating material is able to stabilize and protect the cargo containing mRNA vaccine.

two images of iridescent polymer containers—pinkish on the top and bluish on the bottom.

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