Breakthrough in universal mRNA cancer vaccine research

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Researchers at the University of Florida in Gainesville have made progress toward a universal cancer vaccine that could one day complement or even replace traditional treatments like surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. In mouse models, their mRNA-based vaccine successfully enhanced the immune system’s ability to target tumors. While still in the experimental stage, these findings offer hope for a future where a single vaccine could provide broader protection against cancer.

Source

Qdaisat, S., Wummer, B., Stover, B.D. et al. Sensitization of tumours to immunotherapy by boosting early type-I interferon responses enables epitope spreading. Nat. Biomed. Eng 9, 1437–1452 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41551-025-01380-1

Additional Reading

https://www.insideprecisionmedicine.com/topics/oncology/promising-first-steps-toward-a-universal-mrna-cancer-vaccine/

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/23/healthy-returns-researchers-move-closer-to-a-universal-cancer-vaccine.html

https://www.newsweek.com/cancer-vaccine-breakthrough-data-2102133

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