UI, ISU researchers narrow in on universal flu vaccine
KCJJ Staff
11/04/18
A collaboration between the University of Iowa and Iowa State University may lead to the creation of a universal flu vaccine.
Researchers at the two institutions say in a recently-released study that a new nanoparticle technology-based vaccine has shown effectiveness in trials on mice in a lab. The new vaccine can be inhaled and researchers say it’s affects could last for years, eliminating the need for annual shots.
Kevin Legge is a professor in the UI’s Department of Pathology. He says he and his team found their vaccine protected the mice against the flu strain in the vaccine as well as a very different and dangerous strain, giving them hope it could be a universal solution.
While current vaccines boost antibodies, which protect cells after an infection has occurred, the new vaccine also activates T-cells, which researchers say attack and kill cells infected by the flu.
Further study is still needed to ensure the vaccine’s effectiveness but researchers are hopeful this is at least the start of finding a universal treatment of the flu.
The study, conducted by Legge and a UI colleague as well as one researcher from ISU, was published in Frontiers in Immunology.