Over the past five years, many of us have encountered vaccines, whether through routine immunizations or COVID-19 shots. This well-established method helps prevent serious infections caused by harmful pathogens that have threatened human health for centuries.
But some patients are afraid of the needle. Exploring alternative vaccine delivery systems could increase accessibility and encourage those who fear needles to receive necessary healthcare.
While investigating the role of the skin in immunity, researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in Bethesda, Maryland, alongside a team from the Department of Bioengineering at Stanford University, discovered the skin’s ability to generate an immune response independently. This breakthrough could lead to the development of topical vaccines according to a new study published in Nature.
