# Cell-free synthesis of influenza virus-like particles (VLPs) as prototyping platform for vaccine development and variant characterization

> **NIH NIH R03** · BATTELLE PACIFIC NORTHWEST LABORATORIES · 2024 · $92,840

## Abstract

SUMMARY
The absence of prophylactic and low-cost influenza vaccines along with slow production rate
makes us unprepared for the next pandemic outbreak worldwide. Recombinant virus-like particles
(VLPs) vaccines provide us with unique opportunities to address these difficulties, but their
recombinant synthesis strategies are limited to cell culture production, which has its challenges
such as limited throughput and architectural heterogeneity of the obtained products. In this project,
we aim to combine wheat germ cell-free protein expression platform with active microsomes of
different origins (including human) to synthesize glycosylated influenza virus-like particles (VLPs).
These particles will further undergo detailed morphological and compositional examination using
electron microscopy and native mass spectrometry to understand the architecture of obtained
products and understand the mechanisms of their assembly and composition variability. High-
resolution tomography will be utilized to determine the best VLP candidates with maximal antigen
occupancy and thus maximal vaccine efficiency. We hypothesize that this approach will be
suitable for a stable and streamlined generation of Influenza VLPs and will offer much more
flexibility and control over their architectural heterogeneity and eventually serve as a rapid
prototyping platform for influenza vaccine development. The current project will also inform us
about the utility of using such approaches for virology and for glycoprotein synthesis in general.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10815857
- **Project number:** 5R03AI176165-02
- **Recipient organization:** BATTELLE PACIFIC NORTHWEST LABORATORIES
- **Principal Investigator:** Samantha Malia Powell
- **Activity code:** R03 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $92,840
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-04-01 → 2026-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10815857

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10815857, Cell-free synthesis of influenza virus-like particles (VLPs) as prototyping platform for vaccine development and variant characterization (5R03AI176165-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10815857. Licensed CC0.

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