New research led by Flinders University and international experts has finally uncovered how a rare blood clotting condition can occur after some COVID19 adenovirus-based vaccines or after a natural adenovirus infection. The new research published in the eminent New England Journal of Medicine represents the culmination of years of international scientific detective work and has broad implications for future vaccine developments.

We demonstrates an innovative strategy for mucosal vaccine design by integrating bacterial N-terminal fatty acylation into a glycosylated RBD. LipoSC synergistically enhances the immunogenicity of RBD by acting as both a self-assembling scaffold and an intramolecular adjuvant, which in turn elicited robust mucosal and humoral immune responses in murine models. This approach effectively circumvents the challenge of pre-existing immunity associated with viral vectors. This methodology offers both essential theoretical foundation and empirical data for the design and development of mucosal vaccines, especially through innovative strategies aimed at enhancing antigen immunogenicity and optimizing antigen delivery. This study serves as a valuable reference for the advancement of next-generation COVID-19 mucosal vaccines and provides insights applicable to the broader development of respiratory mucosal vaccines.

A peer reviewed, randomized controlled study with 199 women living in poverty in the city slums of Uganda was published today in Health Care for Women International. This study was conducted following two extended country-wide lockdowns in Uganda during the Covid 19 pandemic. Researchers found that the Transcendental Meditation® (TM®) technique reduced perceived stress, anger, and fatigue; increased self-efficacy; and improved sleep quality. TM helped these women to improve their mental and physical health and positively impacted their ability to cope in this crisis.

COVID-19 vaccination is not the cause behind a decrease in childbirth, according to a study from Linköping University, Sweden. The results speak against rumours about vaccination and reduced fertility. The findings have been published in the journal Communications Medicine.