UTHSCT COVID-19 Research: Vaccine Development

April 8, 2020

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler adds to their list of COVID-19 research being conducted on campus. The second novel coronavirus investigation hopes to contribute a significant advancement to combat the current pandemic – the development of a COVID-19 vaccine. This second project is also spearheaded by Guohua Yi, PhD, who is currently working on the development of a COVID-19 diagnostic test.

Collaborating with researchers in El Paso, Dr. Yi’s second project aims to prevent spread and save lives with the development of a COVID-19 vaccine. The joint effort hopes to deliver a vaccine that works by targeted stimulation of the immune response to COVID-19. Based on a new platform, their proposed vaccination will utilize antiviral antibodies that activate T cell immunity. Should Dr. Yi’s work prove successful, his COVID-19 vaccine could advance the fight to manage the sweeping COVID-19 pandemic.

Tirelessly, UT Health Science Center at Tyler’s researchers are working to prevent the infection through vaccine development. Few times in history has research been as important as it is now, and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler investigators are deeply committed to the fight to restore community health, as well as normalcy in this unprecedented time. Now, more than ever, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler’s dedication to ground-breaking research could provide answers on a global scale to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.