Genetics Unzipped podcast: Genes and Vaccines – Where mRNA COVID-19 vaccines came from and how they work
Posted by Kat Arney, on 14 January 2021
The Genetics Unzipped podcast is back for 2021 with a new series of stories from the world of genes, genomes and DNA, from the history of genetics to the latest cutting-edge research.
In our first episode we take a look back at the discovery of messenger RNA, or mRNA, in the 1960s. There are some big names involved – Francis Crick, Sydney Brenner, Francois Jacob and more – but who actually discovered this vital molecular messenger? And why did nobody win a Nobel Prize for it?
Then we come right up to the present day to look at mRNA vaccines for COVID-19, which have been developed at breakneck speed to tackle the pandemic. We find out how mRNA vaccines work, how they were developed so fast for COVID-19, and how this new technology might change the face of immunization and public health in the future.
Genetics Unzipped is the podcast from The Genetics Society. Full transcript, links and references available online at GeneticsUnzipped.com.
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