Research improves the effectiveness of vaccines

According to new research from NC State, vaccines may become more effective than ever before at preventing disease. Since the summer of 2013, Cathy Fromen, a recent Ph.D. graduate from NC State, and her colleagues have explored how using nanoparticles not previously used in inhalable vaccines could improve the immune system’s response time to a vaccine in order to make it more effective at enabling the body to fight off diseases, such as tuberculosis and influenza. A nanoparticle is a small object that behaves as a whole unit in terms of its transport and properties. For all intents and purposes, a nanoparticle can act as a deliveryman for the proteins of the vaccine, making it easier for the body to recognize the antigen protein. “This creates a faster immune response time from the body,” Fromen said. “Using a nanoparticle also makes the immune response stronger and more effective. Overall, the immune system is...