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Dr. Fuller Named Director of WaNPRC

The UW Office of Research congratulates Dr. Deborah Fuller on being named the next Director of the Washington National Primate Research Center. “In our discussions about her vision as director, I was inspired by her commitment to expanding the Center’s research capabilities and enhancing its infrastructure,” Vice Provost for Research Mari Ostendorf said. “I am confident that WaNPRC will thrive under Dr. Fuller’s leadership, and I look forward to partnering with her to advance the exceptional work at the Center and to support its long-term success.” Read more at UW News: https://lnkd.in/grvVz5Ci.

Nucleic Acid Vaccines: The Beginning of a Medical Revolution

The COVID-19 pandemic brought mRNA vaccines to the forefront and realized, for the first time, their promise of providing a more rapid response to emerging infectious diseases than traditional vaccines. Ideally, vaccines of the future will not only be quick to develop but offer long-term stability at warm temperatures to overcome the barriers of the cold chain for worldwide distribution, achieve high-level efficacy in the immune-compromised and elderly, induce durable immunity in as few doses as possible and be capable of self-administration. Our lab is developing a second generation of nucleic acid (DNA and RNA) vaccines to address many of these gaps. Through novel immunogen design, innovative delivery, and formulations, the incorporation of genetic adjuvants, and combination approaches, we have developed new nucleic acid-based vaccine strategies that induce robust cellular and mucosal immune responses in addition to broad antibody responses that could further revolutionize vaccination by providing more effective and durable protection not only from coronaviruses but also influenza and other emerging infectious diseases.

Watch Dr. Fuller host the most attended Sino webinar to date, here.

Vaccine Makers Are Preparing for Bird Flu

Although most experts say bird flu is not an immediate threat to humans, efforts are underway to produce vaccines for H5N1 or another potential pandemic virus.

“RNA vaccines can be designed extremely quickly—you only need the genetic sequence of what the new variant is that’s emerging, and within weeks, [you] can have a vaccine already tested in animal models,” Fuller says.

Read more in the Scientific American