Vaccines Have Protected People From Diseases for Centuries, But Mrna Technology Is Transforming Their Development

Until the COVID-19 pandemic, however, vaccine development was still a long and idiosyncratic process. Traditionally, researchers had to tailor manufacturing processes and facilities for each vaccine candidate, and the scientific knowledge gained from one vaccine was often not directly transferable to another. But the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines brought a new approach to vaccine development.

And on Aug. 5, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved another mRNA vaccine – a seasonal flu vaccine for adults age 50 or older – that offers more protection against influenza compared to standard vaccines. These advances demonstrate the momentum of mRNA technology, and they have far-reaching implications for how researchers make drugs to treat many other diseases.

Although there are many possibilities for what researchers can use mRNA to treat, some important limitations remain. My work as a biochemist and my lab at UMass Chan Medical School focus on developing better ways to use mRNA as a drug.