This researcher is working on a project that could lead to a universal coronavirus vaccine

TGen

John Altin is an assistant professor at TGen’s Pathogen and Microbiome Division (TGen North).

New research being done in Arizona is looking into how the COVID-19 vaccine interacts with antibodies we have from previous infections from other coronaviruses, including ones that cause the common cold. And it could eventually lead to a universal coronavirus vaccine.

Dr. John Altin is an assistant professor at the Translational Genomics Research Institute, and says he and his colleagues have been measuring antibodies against the spike protein on the coronavirus, which he calls the most important target.

Altin says they’re looking in very fine detail to see which parts of that spike protein the antibodies were sticking to, and were then able to use that to profile the antibody response in people before and after they got the COVID vaccine, and how that compares to other coronaviruses.

The Show spoke with Altin about to learn more about his research.

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