Until the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, few had ever heard of the ribonucleic acid (RNA) beyond biology classes. It was a concept that only had a place in textbooks. However, the development of new SARS-CoV-2 vaccinesThe COVID-19 coronavirus put this molecule on everyone's lips: not only journalists and politicians, but also researchers, who began to study the possibilities of these vaccines in applications very different from infectious diseases.
In the future, we might be able to use RNA vaccines to treat pathologies such as cancer and autoimmune diseases. They could also be useful in the development of personalised medical treatmentsThe flexibility of synthetic RNA allows it to be tailored to meet specific patient needs.
New innovative actors
Challenges that still hinder the entry of new innovative players in this field of life sciences need to be solved, from the regulatory clarification to the supply chain of materials or the planning of assistance models The health systems must necessarily focus more on prevention and a long-term vision.
Control of information is also key to the development of vaccines based on messenger RNA technologies. We must support research by equipping ourselves with large and representative samples of data. The extension of the new techniques is likely to require a new mindset in administrationto be more open to collaborative environments and to review current models of time, budget, user and resource management.
A career in vaccine research cannot be a breeding ground for failure or failure. forced sale of ideas to the big pharmaceutical corporations.
