Interview with Lorena de Oñate, postodoctoral researcher in the Innovative Genomics Institute, led by Prof. Doudna, winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Laura Moro, Ph.D. As you all know, this year Nobel Prize in Chemistry was recently awarded to Prof. Emmanuelle Charpentier and Prof. Jennifer A. Doudna who discovered one of gene technology’s sharpest tools: the CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors. We spoke with Lorena de Oñate, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher from Barcelona currently working at the Innovative Genomics … Read more

Are gene-based vaccines the future of immunisation?

Traditional or conventional vaccines exploit two approaches: either the introduction of live attenuated infectious agents that replicate within the host without causing disease or the introduction of specific antigens that trigger an immune response. Recently, a revolutionary strategy based on gene-based vaccines −either DNA- or RNA-based− has been proposed. This strategy involves the direct introduction of a DNA or RNA sequence encoding the antigen or antigens against which an immune response is sought, and relies on the in situ production of the target antigen (1). This means that the cell’s machinery uses the instructions contained in the introduced genetic material to make virus antigens that the immune system reacts to.

COVID-19 pandemic: the European panorama. Focus in Italy and Spain.

by Laura Moro, Ph.D. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to escalate worldwide, with Europe and the USA being the current epicentres of the pandemic. As of April 22, there are around 2,471,000 declared cases and over 169,000 deaths globally, with many countries undergoing community transmission. The situation in Europe is particularly gloomy with over 1.2 … Read more