mRNA based vaccines: Strategies for viral immunity

mRNA vaccine technology has emerged as a groundbreaking approach in the field of immunology and infectious disease prevention. Unlike traditional vaccines that use weakened or inactivated pathogens, mRNA vaccines deliver synthetic genetic instructions encoding specific viral antigens directly into host cells, prompting in situ antigen production and robust immune activation. This platform enables rapid design, high scalability, and flexible adaptation to emerging viral variants. The success of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines has demonstrated their potential to induce strong humoral and cellular immune responses, reshaping global vaccine development. Ongoing research focuses on optimizing mRNA stability, delivery systems, and immune durability, extending the technology’s application beyond SARS-CoV-2 to other viral infections such as influenza, Zika, and cytomegalovirus.

The primary goal of this research is to explore strategies that enhance the efficacy, stability, and safety to create a comprehensive and durable viral immunity. Although mRNA vaccines have demonstrated remarkable success against COVID-19, several challenges remain, including limited thermostability, the need for ultra-cold storage, variable immune persistence, and reduced effectiveness against rapidly mutating viral variants. Addressing these issues is essential to broaden their global applicability and ensure long-term protection. This research aims to investigate novel approaches such as optimized lipid nanoparticle delivery systems, self-amplifying or circular RNA platforms, and multivalent antigen designs to improve immune response quality and duration. The scope also encompasses research into safety profiles, focusing on possible off-target effects, immunopathology, and public health implications. By integrating basic science and translational perspectives, the goal is to provide new insights that empower the development of next-generation mRNA vaccines and build public trust in their use.

This Research Topic focuses on recent advances and innovative strategies in mRNA-based vaccine design and development for viral immunity. To gather further insights, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
o Molecular optimization of mRNA constructs and regulatory elements
o Development and evaluation of advanced delivery platforms, including lipid nanoparticles and alternative carriers
o Self-amplifying and circular RNA vaccine approaches
o Strategies for improving antigen design and broadening immunological breadth against viral variants
o Mechanisms of immune activation, memory formation, and durability induced by mRNA vaccines
o Comprehensive assessment of safety risks: off-target effects, nucleic acid integration, toxicity, and autoimmune responses
o Improving scalability, thermostability, and logistical aspects of clinical translation
o Educational strategies and communication aimed at increasing public acceptance and understanding of mRNA vaccine platforms

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: mRNA vaccine, vector, nanoparticle, delivery, viral immunology, infectious disease, prevention

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.