# CORE E: RNA Manufacturing Core

> **NIH NIH U19** · ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2024 · $333,348

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
RNA vaccines have quicker development timelines and are simpler to manufacture than traditional vaccines.
Combining this strength of RNA technology with protein engineering, they hold the potential to generate highly
efficacious vaccines rapidly that can target and harness the immune system to counter their target virus. Further,
since they can be rapidly synthesized, modifications can be made to maintain efficacy even when the target virus
may undergo mutation in the population. Finally, as RNA vaccines are transient in the vaccinee, do not
incorporate into the genome or require nuclear delivery, and do not encode an entire pathogen, they have a
lower risk profile than other genetic immunization strategies. Therefore, a major component of this application is
to generate efficacious RNA vaccine candidates. To accomplish this development (Aim1), our core will support
Projects 1-3 by generating RNA for their potential engineering and screening. Once a lead antigen is selected,
we will generate both mRNA and self-amplifying replicon mRNA (repRNA) encoding the same antigens to
compare the safety and effectiveness of the immune response to the two different RNA vaccine platforms. To
continue to innovate (Aim 2) and improve our mRNA and repRNA platforms to reduce reactogenicity, increase
stability, and enhance translational efficiency of the RNA constructs, we will prepare antigen gene sequences
with alternative, artificial intelligence-guided codon usage, and incorporate novel lipids into our lipid
nanoparticles. Finally, we can assist our colleagues to make the transition from research to GLP studies by
generating clinical grade RNA constructs in support of rigorous pre-clinical studies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10863597
- **Project number:** 1U19AI181977-01
- **Recipient organization:** ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** JOHN P COOKE
- **Activity code:** U19 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $333,348
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-01 → 2029-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10863597

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10863597, CORE E: RNA Manufacturing Core (1U19AI181977-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10863597. Licensed CC0.

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