University of Mississippi Leverages Federal Grant for Revolutionary Vaccine Technology Research

Oxford, Mississippi – A New Era in Vaccination Technology

A half-million-dollar federal grant awarded to the University of Mississippi promises to boost vaccine technology research. Dr. Mo Maniruzzaman, a pharmacy professor and head of the Department of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery at the University, is set to lead this groundbreaking project.

The Power of 3D Printing in Vaccine Development

Having received a federal grant of almost $500,000 from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration with the prospect of an additional $500,000 in 2025, Dr. Maniruzzaman is focused on utilizing 3D printing technology to accelerate the production of vaccines. His research centers on complex vaccines made up of special proteins known as recombinant protein vaccines.

The team will employ bacteria or yeast cells, bioengineered to manufacture these recombinant protein vaccines. Such proteins include hemagglutinin, which offers protection against illnesses like the flu.

Dr. Maniruzzaman remarked, “This technology will change the game when it comes to producing these protein vaccines on demand and in situ and is supported by a state-of-the-art approach — a step forward to the existing manufacturing techniques”.

The Promise of SMART – Streamlining Vaccine Production

At the helm of this technological revolution is the Sprayed Multi Adsorbed-Droplet Reposing Technology (SMART), a cutting-edge process created to deliver vaccines more efficiently and swiftly. The recent global pandemic has served as a marker for the urgent need for improved, on-demand vaccine production techniques.

Dr. Maniruzzaman foresees his innovative method, once optimized, being used in large-scale fermentations to produce recombinant protein vaccines distinctly faster and on-demand.

“Since COVID rates are predicted to increase and flu rates remain particularly high, we need better technologies and treatment mechanisms to understand how these diseases and their emerging variants operate,” noted Andrew Yockey, an epidemiologist and assistant professor in the UM Department of Public Health.

Increased Accessibility and Cost-Efficiency with 3D SMART Printing

The 3D SMART printer can encapsulate vaccine components into tiny polymer beads, increasing stability and ease of dispensability. By doing so, this technique could considerably widen accessibility to vaccines in remote areas where timely delivery is challenging.

The SMART technology holds the promise of enhanced flexibility and cost-efficiency in manufacturing procedures for protein-based biologics used against emerging infectious diseases. This implies lower costs for both the consumer and the manufacturer.

Previous Successes and Future District Amplification

Dr. Maniruzzaman’s work on developing this revolutionary technology began while he was serving at the University of Texas. The FDA had provided equivalent funding for his work there under the same Research Project Grant program.

Dr. Maniruzzaman accentuated the importance of this distributed manufacturing technology, “By the end of this project, we envision a state-of-the-art streamlined technology to produce recombinant protein vaccines in a single step and in situ.”. He added, “There’s a growing need for distributed manufacturing of biologics-based therapeutics across the world and results obtained from our research will get us one step closer to meet that need.”