Scientists developed a vaccine that could protect 350 million lives

A study published in the journal, PLOS Neglected Tropical Disease, details how a team of researchers at the University of Carolina successfully vaccinated mice against a serotype (strain) of dengue virus. This can potentially help quell the 350 million instances from over 120 countries of dengue fever every year. The vaccine is different from previous attempts that used live dengue viruses because it features nanoparticles. Using Particle Replication in Non-wetting Template (PRINT) technology, researchers Stefan Metz, Shaomin Tian, Aravinda de Silva, Chris Luft and Joe DeSimon designed various shapes and sizes of nanoparticles — ranging from 55×70 nm to 200×200 nm. These were then studded with DENV2-E proteins, a key protein from dengue serotype 2. Thirty-one mice were immunized with either a control injection (soluble DENV2-E proteins) or one of five distinct iterations of the nanoparticle vaccine. To monitor immune responses, blood samples (as well as bone marrow and lymph node samples)...