"Scientists Want To Completely Rethink How They Make The Flu Vaccine" - Cynthia Koons & Ivan Levingston
The only thing worse than getting the flu is catching it after you've gotten the flu shot, the current shot is just 25 percent effective against the H3N2 virus, this season's most often-identified strain by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The experts say, with enough time and money, they can do a lot better. GlaxoSmithKline, a leading vaccine developer, is conducting one the first studies of a universal flu vaccine in humans. The shot is based on research directed in part by Peter Palese, PhD, professor and chair of microbiology and professor of medicine and infectious disease at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Unlike current vaccines that target the constantly changing proteins on the surface of the flu virus, Dr. Palese's approach targets a part of the virus that remains relatively stable from year to year.
- Peter Palese, PhD, Professor, Chair, Microbiology, Professor, Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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TIME