We collect cookies to analyze our website traffic and performance; we never collect any personal data.Cookies Policy
Accept
Michigan Post
Search
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Michigan
  • World
  • Politics
  • Top Story
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economics
    • Real Estate
    • Startups
    • Autos
    • Crypto & Web 3
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Beauty
    • Art & Books
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Education
Reading: How The mRNA Vaccines Were Made: Halting Progress and Happy Accidents
Share
Font ResizerAa
Michigan PostMichigan Post
Search
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Michigan
  • World
  • Politics
  • Top Story
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economics
    • Real Estate
    • Startups
    • Autos
    • Crypto & Web 3
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Beauty
    • Art & Books
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Education
© 2024 | The Michigan Post | All Rights Reserved.
Michigan Post > Blog > Health > How The mRNA Vaccines Were Made: Halting Progress and Happy Accidents
Health

How The mRNA Vaccines Were Made: Halting Progress and Happy Accidents

By Editorial Board Published January 16, 2022 3 Min Read
Share
How The mRNA Vaccines Were Made: Halting Progress and Happy Accidents
00VIRUS mRNA promo facebookJumbo

“I said, ‘I am an RNA scientist. I can do anything with RNA,’” Dr. Karikó recalled telling Dr. Weissman. He asked her: Could you make an H.I.V. vaccine?

“Oh yeah, oh yeah, I can do it,” Dr. Karikó said.

Up to that point, commercial vaccines had carried modified viruses or pieces of them into the body to train the immune system to attack invading microbes. An mRNA vaccine would instead carry instructions — encoded in mRNA — that would allow the body’s cells to pump out their own viral proteins. This approach, Dr. Weissman thought, would better mimic a real infection and prompt a more robust immune response than traditional vaccines did.

It was a fringe idea that few scientists thought would work. A molecule as fragile as mRNA seemed an unlikely vaccine candidate. Grant reviewers were not impressed, either. His lab had to run on seed money that the university gives new faculty members to get started.

By that time, it was easy to synthesize mRNA in the lab to encode any protein. Drs. Weissman and Karikó inserted mRNA molecules into human cells growing in petri dishes and, as expected, the mRNA instructed the cells to make specific proteins. But when they injected mRNA into mice, the animals got sick.

“Their fur got ruffled, they hunched up, they stopped eating, they stopped running,” Dr. Weissman said. “Nobody knew why.”

For seven years, the pair studied the workings of mRNA. Countless experiments failed. They wandered down one blind alley after another. Their problem was that the immune system sees mRNA as a piece of an invading pathogen and attacks it, making the animals sick while destroying the mRNA.

Eventually, they solved the mystery. The researchers discovered that cells protect their own mRNA with a specific chemical modification. So the scientists tried making the same change to mRNA made in the lab before injecting it into cells. It worked: The mRNA was taken up by cells without provoking an immune response.

TAGGED:Acquired Immune Deficiency SyndromeClinical TrialsCoronavirus (2019-nCoV)Fauci, Anthony SGraham, Barney S (1953- )Kariko, Katalin (1955- )MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome)National Institutes of HealthThe Washington MailVaccination and ImmunizationWeissman, Drew (1961- )your-feed-science
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Email Copy Link Print

HOT NEWS

Heidi Alexander says ‘equity’ will likely be authorities’s ‘tenet’ in relation to taxes at subsequent funds

Heidi Alexander says ‘equity’ will likely be authorities’s ‘tenet’ in relation to taxes at subsequent funds

Politics
July 13, 2025
Denis Bouanga and Nathan Ordaz elevate LAFC to win over FC Dallas

Denis Bouanga and Nathan Ordaz elevate LAFC to win over FC Dallas

Denis Bouanga scored on a penalty kick and assisted on Nathan Ordaz’s aim as LAFC…

July 13, 2025
Justice system ‘near damaged’, Met Police chief says – as he admits London’s ‘shameful’ racism problem

Justice system ‘near damaged’, Met Police chief says – as he admits London’s ‘shameful’ racism problem

In a wide-ranging interview with Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, the commissioner stated that relations…

July 13, 2025
With LeBron James instructing him courtside, Bronny places on a Summer time League present

With LeBron James instructing him courtside, Bronny places on a Summer time League present

LAS VEGAS — The gang contained in the Thomas & Mack Middle started to stir a number…

July 13, 2025
Farmer turns into first individual to die throughout Trump’s ICE raids

Farmer turns into first individual to die throughout Trump’s ICE raids

A farmer who fell from a greenhouse roof throughout an anti-immigrant raid at a licensed…

July 13, 2025

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

25 Wholesome Habits I Want I Began at 25 » Wholesome Life-style

Uncover 25 science-backed wholesome habits that may rework your life. From health to psychological well being, begin immediately and age…

Health
May 16, 2025

5 Okra Water Advantages for Summer time Hydration

Discover the confirmed okra water advantages for summer season hydration, together with electrolyte stability, immune assist, and pure detox. Key…

Health
April 10, 2025

Is Okra Water Protected for Pregnant Ladies? » Wholesome Way of life

Is okra water protected for pregnant ladies? Know its well being advantages, potential dangers, and skilled suggestions for consumption throughout…

Health
April 8, 2025

Okra Water for Sort 2 Diabetes: Pure Blood Sugar Management

Learn the way okra water for Sort 2 Diabetes can naturally increase blood sugar management. Discover advantages, preparation ideas, and…

Health
April 7, 2025

Welcome to Michigan Post, an esteemed publication of the Enspirers News Group. As a beacon of excellence in journalism, Michigan Post is committed to delivering unfiltered and comprehensive news coverage on World News, Politics, Business, Tech, and beyond.

Company

  • About Us
  • Newsroom Policies & Standards
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Careers
  • Media & Community Relations
  • Accessibility Statement

Contact Us

  • Contact Us
  • Contact Customer Care
  • Advertise
  • Licensing & Syndication
  • Request a Correction
  • Contact the Newsroom
  • Send a News Tip
  • Report a Vulnerability

Term of Use

  • Digital Products Terms of Sale
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Settings
  • Submissions & Discussion Policy
  • RSS Terms of Service
  • Ad Choices

© 2024 | The Michigan Post | All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?