Lifelong flu vaccine closer with bully T cell discovery
Dr Stephanie Gras
BDI researchers Dr Stephanie Gras and Professor Jamie Rossjohn, collaborating with Associate Professor Kedzierska from the Peter Doherty Institute, discovered memory cells within the immune system called T cells were able to recognise parts of the flu virus that were likely to be conserved between different strains. Those T cells could be re-activated quickly and efficiently to kill any new strains of the virus by bullying the virus into submission, bringing us closer to a 'one-shot' vaccine that would eliminate the need for a new flu vaccine each year. The study was published in PNAS. Their research sparked print, radio and TV coverage.