Next-generation universal coronavirus vaccine using synthetic genetic material and nanoparticles
Administrative Core
['FUNDING_P01'] · WISTAR INSTITUTE · NIH-11389942
This program aims to create a new vaccine that could protect people against many different coronaviruses by using synthetic genetic material delivered in nanoparticles.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_P01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | WISTAR INSTITUTE (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (PHILADELPHIA, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11389942 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You would be hearing about a team building a universal coronavirus vaccine that targets the seven coronaviruses known to infect people, including seasonal types and the zoonotic viruses like SARS and MERS. The team combines expertise from Wistar, the University of Pennsylvania, and Indiana University to design synthetic nucleic acid vaccines and improve how they are carried into cells using nanoparticles. Work now focuses on laboratory and preclinical development—including protein engineering, immunology, and delivery chemistry—with the Administrative Core coordinating the program. If those steps succeed, the program could move toward human testing at the participating institutions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people eligible for future clinical trials at the participating centers, such as adults at risk of coronavirus exposure seeking broader protection than current vaccines offer.
Not a fit: People who need immediate protection now or those with severe immune suppression may not benefit directly from this early vaccine development program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could give broader and longer-lasting protection against current and future coronaviruses, reducing illness from seasonal and emerging strains.
How similar studies have performed: mRNA and nucleic acid vaccines have worked well against SARS-CoV-2, but a truly universal coronavirus vaccine that protects across multiple CoV strains remains largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
PHILADELPHIA, UNITED STATES
- WISTAR INSTITUTE — PHILADELPHIA, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: WEINER, DAVID B. — WISTAR INSTITUTE
- Study coordinator: WEINER, DAVID B.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.