In mRNA vaccines , scientists introduce a nucleic acid sequence that mimics a specific antigen , which prepares the body to recognize and fight it if infected with the real thing . Of the hundreds of DNA and mRNA COVID-19 vaccine trials Haczku says are in progress worldwide , only about 10-15 will lead to human trials .
In protein vaccines , a patient is injected with a solution that contains the deactivated protein of an actual pathogen , which causes the body to mount an immune response — and later remember and destroy that same protein if it ’ s encountered again . This type of vaccine is the most commonly used and simplest to make .
DNA vaccines are a specialty of Dr . Dennis Hartigan-O ’ Connor , an associate professor in the UC Davis Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology and a core scientist at the CNPRC . His research on the immune system and chronic diseases like AIDS and his work with primates has brought him international recognition and a strategic spot on the team for developing a vaccine for the novel coronavirus .
“ Our work at UCD is two-pronged ,” says Hartigan-O ’ Connor , who recently licensed one of the vaccine candidates developed in his lab to startup company Tendel Therapies , which will work to get it evaluated by the FDA and then hopefully into Phase I trials by February 2021 . “ We ’ re contributing to the nationwide effort to evaluate ( COVID-19 ) vaccines and therapies in animal models and also bring forward candidates that could bring herd immunity and long-term coverage . With our long history of testing HIV vaccines at UCD , we ’ re adapting those candidates and using them as a foundation . There ’ s a tremendous amount of data that is very encouraging that these vaccines could elicit a response ( against COVID-19 ).”
Operation Warp Speed
Though he ’ s optimistic about the progress being made at UC Davis , Hartigan-O ’ Connor is well aware that the accelerated demand for an effective vaccine has complicated an already
“ Our work at UCD is two-pronged . We ’ re contributing to the nationwide effort to evaluate ( COVID-19 ) vaccines and therapies in animal models and also bring forward candidates that could bring herd immunity and long-term coverage . With our long history of testing HIV vaccines at UCD , we ’ re adapting those candidates and using them as a foundation .”
DR . DENNIS HARTIGAN-O ’ CONNOR Associate professor UC Davis Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology
Dr . Dennis Hartigan-O ’ Connor , an associate professor in the UC Davis Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology , studies a COVID-19 vaccine candidate in his lab .
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