Unlocking the Future: Advancements Towards mRNA-Based Vaccines

In a constantly evolving world, we believe in celebrating those groundbreaking moments in science that shape our future. The Department of Chemistry organises the 2nd lecture of the Nobel & Ig Nobel Lecture Series–2023 on the “Steps Towards the Development of mRNA-Based Vaccines“. The lecture will delve into the cutting-edge advancements in developing mRNA-based vaccines with a session by Dr Sateesh E, Department of Chemistry, on October 19, 2023. This remarkable scientific achievement holds the potential to transform healthcare and the session will explore it from all angles.

Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, exciting discoveries, and a glimpse into the minds of some of the most brilliant and unconventional thinkers in the field!

Abstract

The Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2023 was awarded for the breakthrough discovery of nucleoside modifications in mRNA to develop effective mRNA-based vaccines. Their investigation for mRNA vaccine in the place of the conventional vaccine was hampered by the fact that in vitro synthesised mRNAs caused inflammation, whereas the cell-synthesized mRNAs did not elicit any inflammatory response. However, the inflammatory reaction was reduced when modified nucleosides were included in the mRNAs. This unravelled mystery of the reduced inflammation by the modified mRNA has led to the Nobel Prize-winning discovery that paved the way to develop effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 that saved millions of lives. This talk will discuss the journey towards the development of mRNA vaccines and their potential for the development of future vaccines and therapeutics.