mRNA vaccines

These vaccines contain molecules of mRNA (= ‘messenger ribonucleic acid’), which instruct the cells in your own body to produce a virus protein - in the case of the Covid-19 vaccines this means your body starts to produce the Spike protein that normally sits on the virus surface.

The immune system recognises this protein as foreign and mounts an immune response against it - exactly in the same way as if it were carried by a live virus or be injected as purified protein.

mRNA vaccines are the most flexible way to deliver vaccines as they can be adapted very easily, without the need to grow large amounts of viruses or extended culture or purification steps. They are clearly the future.

New mRNA vaccines are now in development against many different conditions, including cancer!