Predicting viral evolution may let vaccines be prepared in advance
New techniques could programme people’s immune systems against future pathogens
GENERALLY, IMMUNE systems mount responses only against pathogens that have already infected the bodies they are protecting. Science, though, can shorten the path to immunity by vaccination. This involves presenting the immune system with harmless or lookalike versions of dangerous pathogens so that it may create antibodies and killer cells hostile to the real thing in advance of any actual infection, thereby reducing its danger.
This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Predict and survive”
From the August 7th 2021 edition
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