Porous-silicon particle COVID-19 vaccine
Porous silicon microparticle-based subunit vaccines for SARS-CoV-2
This project develops a COVID-19 vaccine that uses tiny porous silicon particles to boost nasal and overall immune protection for people at risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Med Br Galveston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Galveston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11285202 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are combining a key piece of the virus (the receptor-binding domain) with tiny porous silicon particles that act as an adjuvant to help the immune system notice the vaccine. They plan to give two doses using a shot plus a nasal delivery to encourage both blood and mucosal (nose and lung) immunity, including IgA antibodies and lung-resident T and B cells. Early lab and animal work showed stronger and longer-lasting immune responses with this approach, and the team will optimize the formulation and delivery methods. The goal is to create a vaccine approach that better blocks infection at the site the virus enters.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be adults eligible for vaccine trials, especially those at higher risk of exposure or who could benefit from stronger mucosal protection.
Not a fit: People with severe immune suppression, known allergies to vaccine components, or those already well protected by current vaccines may not gain added benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could produce vaccines that better prevent infection in the nose and lungs, lower transmission, and offer broader protection against variants.
How similar studies have performed: Other intranasal and adjuvant-based COVID vaccine approaches have shown promise in animals and some early human work, but using porous silicon particles is relatively new and mainly tested in preclinical studies.
Where this research is happening
Galveston, United States
- University of Texas Med Br Galveston — Galveston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Tian — University of Texas Med Br Galveston
- Study coordinator: Wang, Tian
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.