Virus-like particles employed to battle flu.

• Position: Vaccines - Brief article

Developing a virus-like particle, or VLP, as a vaccine technology is front and center for researchers at Georgia State University, Atlanta. VLPs mimic viruses, but are noninfectious, which allows for safer vaccines, especially for young children, elderly people, and patients whose immune systems are compromised. VLPs trigger the immune system to respond, leading to immunity in the same way that regular vaccines made with whole viruses act.

"LPs are a result of new technology using recombinant genetic engineering," explains Sang-Moo Kang, associate professor at the Center for Inflammation. "VLP technology can manipulate pathogens in a safe way so that we can design a vaccine mimicking the shape and structure of a virus. A VLP is an empty particle without the genetic information of a pathogen, thus highlighting its safety."

The potential of this research not only could lead to better vaccines for...