Dr. Shahzad ul Hussan and Dr. Muhammad Afzal from the Department of Biology at SBASSE are working on RNA vaccine of SARS-CoV-2. Dr Afzal as an RNA biologist has established a system of producing linear as well as circular mRNAs. Their laboratory has ability to characterize viral neutralization potential of antibodies produced in the serum (animal or human) in response to RNA vaccine administration. They have established pseudo-virus-based SARS-CoV-2 neutralization assay system and are now trying to make new pseudo-viruses by incorporating sequential modifications related to different viral variants reported in last year and a half.  Moreover, their lab will be able to characterize if the RNA vaccine has been delivered in the cell to produce protein immunogen and if the immunogen is secreted out of cell in the cell culture set up along with evaluating any cytotoxic effects before it could move to animal studies. 

BF Bio, a leading biotechnology and pharmaceutical company, is interested to sign an MoU with LUMS to get support for the development of mRNA-based vaccine for COVID-19. 

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