O Speaker: Dr. Sungchan Cho

O Affiliation: Nucleic Acid Therapeutics Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology(KRIBB)

O Date: Oct. 30, 2024

O Start Time: 4:00 PM

O Title: Expanding the Horizons of mRNA Vaccines and Therapeutics Beyond COVID-19

 

O Abstract:

The COVID-19 pandemic, which caused an unprecedented global crisis, was effectively tackled through the development of innovative mRNA vaccines. The rapid development and flexible mass-scale manufacturing capabilities of mRNA-based vaccines played a crucial role in the global response to this health emergency. The success of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and the advancements in associated technologies have paved the way for expanding mRNA applications into areas such as cancer and rare genetic diseases. However, challenges remain regarding the duration of expression, delivery efficiency, modulation of adaptive immune responses, and targeting specific tissues, all of which should be overcome to broaden the scope of mRNA therapeutics beyond COVID-19. In this presentation, I will discuss our group’s recent achievements in developing an advanced mRNA platform that facilitates higher expression levels of antigens and disease-causing genes than conventional mRNAs. Additionally, I will introduce our novel adjuvant-type lipid nanoparticle (LNP) devised to stimulate adaptive immune responses. Our current applications of these platform technologies in cancer vaccines and therapies for various rare diseases will also be shared, along with an overview of the future directions and roadmap for our ongoing research and development in mRNA medicine.

 

* The seminar will be held offline and online[https://kaist.zoom.us/j/88058197857] simultaneously.

* Closed Caption interpretation service (English) available online (service provided by Zoom)