Scientists from Kraków and Gdańsk are jointly developing a vaccine against COVID-19. It will work by stimulating the T cells of the vaccinated person to destroy cells infected by the virus. The research is financed by the Foundation for Polish Science (FNP) from European funds from the Intelligent Development program.

The work is conducted jointly by Dr Danuta Gutowska-Owsiak from the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Gdańsk and the Medical University of Gdańsk, which specialize in the study of the human immune system, and Prof. Jonathan Heddle from the Małopolska Center of Biotechnology of the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, an expert in nanobiotechnology.

Researchers want to use the properties of exosomes that act as “transmitters” of signals between cells and can change their function, for example, they can stimulate immune cells to function.

Scientists are planning to design and generate artificial exosomes, and then test their use as a new way to elicit a cellular antiviral response targeting the SARS-CoV-2 virus.