Traditional vaccines can incorporate weakened, inactivated viruses, or viral proteins, to trigger an immune response in the human body. In contrast, mRNA vaccines are a powerful new tool in fighting viral infections. These vaccines deliver engineered “messenger” molecules that instruct the body to produce viral proteins, triggering a similar immune reaction.
mRNA molecules occur naturally in the body but are fragile and quickly degrade. To develop its COVID-19 vaccine, Moderna chemically modified mRNA to enhance its stability and extend its viability. But just how similar is this engineered version to the mRNA our bodies naturally produce?
Moderna has partnered with a collaborative research team in the faculties of Engineering and Medicine & Dentistry and the AI + Health Hub at the University of Alberta to answer that question by comparing the natural and modified molecules.
Computing scientist Hosna Jabbari, member of the AI + Health Hub and the Department of Biomedical Engineering, is bringing expertise in bioinformatics and RNA therapeutics as principal investigator for the project.
“This research explores the molecular design behind next‑generation vaccines, testing whether engineered mRNA can blend in more like our own — reducing unnecessary alarm signals — while still teaching the immune system to recognize the virus,” says Jabbari.