Medical Research Institute contributes to vaccine development effort

No vaccines or drugs are available yet to protect people worldwide against Ebola virus disease, but two potential vaccines are in human safety testing, and scientists at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases were a critical part of their development. During an interview last week with DoD News, USAMRIID scientists described their vaccine and drug-development research, development processes and products in development for Ebola virus and other infectious diseases. USAMRIID, based in Frederick, Maryland, has pioneered research since 1969 to develop medical countermeasures for warfighters against deadly pathogens they might encounter as bioweapons on the battlefield. But lately, its work has gained a more immediate use as a medical tool for ensuring global public health security. Dr. John M. Dye Jr., chief in USAMRIID’s Viral Immunology Branch, said dozens of vaccine candidates are being created worldwide, “especially with this outbreak, and all of them have to go through a [Food...