Research with neutrons for better mRNA vaccines

Date: 15/03/2021
Source: Jülich Center for Neutron Science

Dr. Aurel Radulescu at the KWS-2 instrument in the neutron guide hall of the research neutron source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) in Garching. Copyright: W. Schürmann / TUM

In December 2020, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was approved for use across the EU, marking a crucial step forward in the fight against coronavirus. The development of this COVID-19 vaccine built on important research that was undertaken by Mainz-based biotechnology company, BioNTech, in collaboration with the Jülich Center for Neutron Science (JCNS). Using neutron scattering instruments operated by the JCNS at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Center in Garching, researchers investigated new approaches for the packaging and delivery of the mRNA. Such experiments provide important insights into the relationship between structural properties, biological activity and the vaccine production process, which will help to advance the development of RNA therapeutics and vaccines.

Find out more about how neutron scattering experiments at JCNS have contributed to the development of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Image: Dr. Aurel Radulescu at the KWS-2 instrument in the neutron guide hall of the research neutron source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) in Garching. Copyright: W. Schürmann / TUM