INA significant development in DNA vaccination research, India's first and only DNA vaccine candidate for dengue has shown promising results. In preliminary trials on mice, the candidate generated a robust immune response and improved survival rates after exposure to the disease.
The DNA vaccine candidate has been in development since 2019 by scientists from the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru, in collaboration with nine institutions in India, Africa and the US. The team at NCBS is led by Sudhir Krishna, a professor specialising in biochemistry. While his laboratory primarily works on human cervical cancer research, the team became interested in dengue vaccination in 2011 after collaborating with St John's Medical College, Bengaluru, to sequence samples collected from dengue patients. "We need a dengue vaccine because it is a major public health burden in India," says Arun Sankara-doss, research lead of the dengue vaccine programme at NCBS. In 2021, India reported 110,473 dengue cases, ranking fourth among the worst-affected nations.
The team chose DNA technology since it is considered stable, cost-effective and safer than whole-virus vaccines. "Traditional vaccines essentially contain the whole virus. But we speculate some regions in the virus could be responsible for adverse effects," says Swetha Raghavan, a postdoctoral researcher at NCBS. A DNA platform, she explains, allows researchers to pick certain regions that can provoke an effective response and eliminate those likely to cause harm. Further, this vaccine can be modified to target other viruses.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Trade On Emissions
EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, a tariff on imports, is designed to protect European industries in the guise of climate action.
'The project will facilitate physical and cultural decimation of indigenous people'
The Great Nicobar Project has all the hallmarks of a disaster-seismic, ecological, human. Why did it get the go-ahead?
TASTE IT RED
Popularity of Karnataka's red jackfruit shows how biodiversity can be conserved by ensuring that communities benefit from it
MANY MYTHS OF CHIPKO
Misconceptions about the Chipko movement have overshadowed its true objectives.
The politics and economics of mpox
Africa's mpox epidemic stems from delayed responses, neglect of its health risks and the stark vaccine apartheid
Emerging risks
Even as the world gets set to eliminate substances threatening the ozone layer, climate change and space advancement pose new challenges.
JOINING THE CARBON CLUB
India's carbon market will soon be a reality, but will it fulfil its aim of reducing emissions? A report by PARTH KUMAR and MANAS AGRAWAL
Turn a new leaf
Scientists join hands to predict climate future of India's tropical forests
Festering troubles
The Democratic Republic of Congo struggles to contain mpox amid vaccine delays, conflict and fragile healthcare.
India sees unusual monsoon patterns
THE 2024 southwest monsoon has, between June 1 and September 1, led to excess rainfall in western and southern states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, while others like Nagaland, Manipur and Punjab recorded a deficit.