Global health R&D at work in Delaware
A research lab at the University of Delaware’s College of Engineering is doing pioneering work in the field of synthetic biology, which involves breaking down the components of organisms, such as cells and enzymes, and reassembling them to have new, useful abilities. With support from the US National Institutes of Health, the team is using synthetic biology techniques to design low-cost, shelf-stable oral vaccines by “teaching” benign bacteria to produce an amino acid that would elicit an immune response. Most vaccines available today must be continuously refrigerated to remain effective. This poses a challenge for delivery, particularly in low-resource settings worldwide without reliable electricity. Expanding heat-stable, needle-free vaccine options would help increase the administration and uptake of vaccines both globally and in the United States.