
UW Medicine Gets Multi-Million Dollar Grant For Universal Flu Vaccine
Listen
BY BRIAN GREGORY, KUOW
The Institute for Protein Design at the University of Washington School of Medicine has been awarded $11.3 million to work on a universal flu vaccine.
David Baker is the institute’s director. He said a universal flu vaccine would protect you from a broad range of flu strains.
“Right now there is a projection made before each flu season or maybe six months before each flu season about what strains of flu are likely to be coming through and then a vaccine is prepared specifically against those strains,” Baker said. “But those predictions can be wrong. So if you had a universal flu vaccine that protected you against all flu strains it would the guess work out of this equation.”
Baker also said there could be future benefits.
“If you had a vaccine that gave you really long lived protection, then it could be like the other types of vaccines, we get a polio vaccine once, other vaccines we get once, you wouldn’t have to get a new vaccine every year,” Baker said.
Baker said that whether a universal flu vaccine is developed or not, this gift will build techniques and technologies that will advance science and have a huge variety of implications in medicine and industry.
The grant from the San Francisco-based Open Philanthropy Project is one of its largest awards to date.
Copyright 2018 KUOW
Related Stories:

Idaho kindergarten vaccine rates appear to have fallen from year prior
Idaho continues to report some of the lowest vaccination rates in the country. This past school year, data submitted in the fall showed that, on average, 70% of Idaho kindergarteners had received all their recommended vaccinations.

Library to host ‘Caregiving’ documentary screening, panel discussion
Actor Bradley Cooper’s experience caring for his terminally ill father led him to produce a documentary called “Caregiving”. Part of the film will be shown May 29 at the Lewiston City Library followed by a panel discussion.

How does climate affect your life? Tri-Cities survey open now
Cities, towns and counties are starting to plan for a future with climate change. Now, the Tri-Cities area is asking people about regional hazards and historical trends. (Credit: Simon Foot