By Joanna Groom & Benjamin Broomfield – WEHI Australia –
WEHI scientists have uncovered a promising new way to enhance the effectiveness of vaccines by tapping into the potential of a specific type of immune cell, opening the door to long-lasting vaccines for viruses and enhanced cancer therapies.
The WEHI-led study used a novel approach combined with cutting-edge mRNA vaccine technology to increase the formation of a type of T cell which has remarkable self-renewing capacity and can remember threats for years and even decades.
The mouse-based study, published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, uncovered a new way to enhance stem cell-like memory CD8+ T cells following vaccination, pointing to a future where more diseases are vaccine-preventable and treatable, and where regular vaccine boosting is no longer needed.
