Spherical nucleic acids (SNAs) are typically comprised of nanoparticle cores and densely functionalized and radially oriented nucleic acid shells and are highly modular in nature. This novel three-dimensional architecture imparts upon them properties that make them extremely useful in biomedicine, especially in immunotherapy and vaccine design. In the case of SNA-based vaccines, immunostimulatory oligonucleotides (adjuvants) comprise the shell and specific and even multiple types of antigens can be incorporated into the SNA (shell or core), allowing for a range of innate and adaptive immune responses/pathways to be systematically accessed. Indeed, the discovery that the chemical structure of an SNA conjugate (e.g., the way adjuvants and antigens are presented) can transition a vaccine from mildly effective to curative, has set the stage for a new field of rational vaccinology.  Such SNA vaccines are proving efficacious to combat cancers and infectious diseases like COVID-19.

Rational vaccinology: Unlocking the power of spherical nucleic acid (SNA) immunotherapeutics through chemical design

Fall 2022 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch in mid-September.

ACS Fall 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.