A new initiative has been launched at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine to accelerate the development of mRNA-based vaccines and therapies for animals, writes John George for the Philadelphia Business Journal. 

The mRNA Research Initiative is being aided by Dr. Drew Weissman who, along with Dr. Katalin Karikó, won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine for their work advancing mRNA-based vaccine technology. 

That discovery ultimately led to the development of the COVID-19 vaccines developed by Moderna, and Pfizer-BioNTech.

Weissman hopes his support will help foster ongoing collaborations between the Perelman School and Penn Vet and expand the breadth of mRNA biology across species. 

According to Phillip Scott, Penn Vet’s vice dean for research and academic resources, the goal of the initiative is to advance basic vaccine science by using the mRNA platform, and develop mRNA vaccines and therapies for various animal species and diseases.

The research will be led by Christopher Hunter, founding director of Penn Vet’s Institute for Infectious and Zoonotic Diseases.

“This Initiative will have a profound role in protecting not only the health and welfare of farm animals and our food supply, but also on the safety and long-term viability of farming communities in Pennsylvania and across the country,” he said. 

Read more about the new mRNA research initiative at the Philadelphia Business Journal. 

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