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Faculty of Health Sciences

McMaster Immunology Research Centre

MIRC is in the News With a New Next-Generation Trivalent SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine

The vaccine may prove to be a next generation COVID-19 strategy to induce broad mucosal immunity against current and future VOC with high efficacy in human trials.

The McMaster Immunology Research Centre (MIRC) has established that the new vaccine (administered through the airways)  embodies concepts of mucosal immunity/vaccination and a design to boost Antibody production, T Cell Immunity and Trained Innate Immunity responses.  With incredible speed, lead PIs Drs. Zhou Xing, Mathew Miller, Brian Lichty, dual first author MIRC trainees Dr. Sam Afkhami/Michael D’Agostino along with colleagues  have just published their findings in the prestigious journal Cell.

As detailed in the Cell publication, excitingly this vaccine, when delivered via the respiratory tract, but not by intramuscular injection, in animal models can induce long-lasting  protection from the original SARS-CoV-2 strain as well as  two variants of concern (B.1.1.7 and B.1.351). It may prove to be a next generation COVID-19 strategy to induce  broad mucosal  immunity against current and future VOC with high efficacy in human trials.  This is just among the many accomplishments of MIRC as a Centre, funding  success over the last 18 months specifically for SARS-CoV-2 research.

MIRC is a well-established vibrant group of Principle Investigators with members that are  focused on basic science and translational  research in immunity and health. This highly successful group has collaboration and collegiality as major strengths that bond the group and its many connections with scientists and clinicians at McMaster, and others at national and international  levels.

MIRC  has major interests in mucosal immunology, allergy, cancer immunotherapy, vaccines, infectious diseases, aging and chronic lung diseases. The Centre has strong  interactions with RCIs including the  IIDR, Firestone, Farncombe, MODR and others, and collectively averages over $7M annually  primarily in  basic science research funds from peer-reviewed agencies and industry collaborations.

Read more in McMaster Daily News

Dr. C. D. Richards, Professor and Director, McMaster Immunology Research Centre, Department of Medicine.

 Research Findings