Penn Engineers have cooked up a new way to improve mRNA delivery, developing an optimal “recipe” for ionizable lipids — key ingredients in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), the molecules behind the COVID-19 vaccines and other innovative therapies. The method, described in Nature Biomedical Engineering, mirrors the iterative process of developing a culinary dish and may lead to safer, more effective mRNA vaccines and therapeutics.

Scientific investigations before and during the COVID-19 lockdown in Berlin in 2020 show that urban red squirrels are extremely flexible in adjusting their diurnal activities to the presence of humans, domestic dogs, domestic cats, and predators such as beech martens. With the help of wildlife cameras, scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) and citizen scientists recorded red squirrel activities in private gardens and properties over longer periods of time and compared them between the different times of day and seasons. In a paper in the scientific journal “Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution” the team describes the spatial and temporal niches occupied by the red squirrels, found that they were more active during the lockdown than before and conclude that red squirrels fear domestic cats in particular.

A breakthrough in vaccine development: Prof. Ronit Satchi-Fainaro's lab at TAU's Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences collaborated with Professor Helena Florindo’s lab at the University of Lisbon to produce a novel nano-vaccine for COVID-19. The nano-vaccine, a 200-nanometer particle, trains the immune system against all common COVID-19 variants, just as effectively as existing vaccines. Moreover, unlike other vaccines it is conveniently administered as a nasal spray and does not require a cold supply chain or ultra-cold storage. These unique features pave the way to vaccinating 3^rd-world populations, as well as the development of simpler, more effective, and less expensive vaccines in the future.

Researchers have found that coronaviruses like SARS-CoV-2 contain genes that appear important for viral survival even though they don’t produce a working protein. Their work investigating how these mystery genes evolve could help forecast which variants might be more dangerous.

The risks of thromboembolism—blood clots blocking blood flow to organs—following COVID-19 vaccination in patients with atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF/AFL) remain uncertain. In a new study, researchers from Korea University College of Medicine assessed thrombo-embolic event rates post-vaccination. Notably, in AF/AFL patients who are already on anticoagulation therapy, a COVID-19 vaccination does not increase thromboembolic risk. However, in those not taking oral anticoagulants, COVID-19 vaccination was associated with a significantly higher risk of thromboembolism.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us all the importance of educating the public about viral infections. Besides educating the general public, we need to equip the next generation of scientists by bringing viral education into the classroom. Now, researchers from the Tokyo University of Science have filmed the ‘giant’ virus Mimivirus in the process of infecting a cell, creating a fascinating film that can help educators teach biology in a more engaging manner.