Micro-Needles Allow Painless DNA Vaccines

 

Patches covered in microscopic needles could tattoo vaccines into the skin to boost a patient’s defense against disease, researchers say.

Vaccines help bodies develop immunity to diseases by exposing immune systems to potential invaders. 

Scientists are now developing DNA vaccines that deliver genes from contagions into patients; the cells of vaccinated people then churn out molecules from those potential intruders that function like wanted signs, helping immune systems recognize dangerous threats.

In principle, DNA vaccines possess a number of benefits over regular vaccines. For example, instead of wasting time and resources generating and purifying proteins from germs for use in vaccines, manufacturers can simply get the human body to do the manufacturing work. However, so far DNA vaccines have not proven very effective in humans, perhaps because there has been no good way to give patients enough of the vaccine in a shot. 

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