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mRNA Technology, the tech behind the new COVID-19 vaccines 
, has mind-blowing potential that most people overlook.
Here's how it works
, has mind-blowing potential that most people overlook. Here's how it works
DNA is the hard drive of life.
It stores the information we need to make proteins.
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It stores the information we need to make proteins.
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Proteins are functional molecules that are necessary for every part of human life.
Collagen for your skin, Haemoglobin for transporting oxygen, Amylase for digestion.
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Collagen for your skin, Haemoglobin for transporting oxygen, Amylase for digestion.
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So, how do we actually go from DNA to Proteins?
And where does this magic #mRNA fit in?
@moderna_tx CEO, @sbancel gave a great analogy when he was on @a16z Bio Eats World podcast episode "The Machine That Made The Vaccine" https://a16z.simplecast.com/episodes/company-and-platform-machine-that-made-vaccine-mrna-vaccines
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And where does this magic #mRNA fit in?
@moderna_tx CEO, @sbancel gave a great analogy when he was on @a16z Bio Eats World podcast episode "The Machine That Made The Vaccine" https://a16z.simplecast.com/episodes/company-and-platform-machine-that-made-vaccine-mrna-vaccines
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DNA is like a recipe book that your grandma gave to you before she passed away.
You don't want to take it into the kitchen as you may damage the pages.
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You don't want to take it into the kitchen as you may damage the pages.
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To avoid damaging the recipe book, you make a photocopy of the recipe you want to make.
The copy is then taken to the kitchen and used instead.
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The copy is then taken to the kitchen and used instead.
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Your body does the same.
It protects your DNA (the recipe book) by creating mRNA (a copy of the recipe).
mRNA moves to the cell (the kitchen).
The cell has an in-house '3D printer' which builds a protein by reading the mRNA.
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It protects your DNA (the recipe book) by creating mRNA (a copy of the recipe).
mRNA moves to the cell (the kitchen).
The cell has an in-house '3D printer' which builds a protein by reading the mRNA.
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You can think of mRNA as natural molecule that carries '3D printing instructions' for proteins.
We can print the mRNA for a desired protein in a lab, using the same natural molecules as our bodies.
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We can print the mRNA for a desired protein in a lab, using the same natural molecules as our bodies.
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mRNA allows us to speak the language of our bodies.
Allowing us to tell our bodies to do things for us.
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Allowing us to tell our bodies to do things for us.
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We can accelerate recovery after someone has a heart attack by injecting mRNA that codes for a protein that stimulates the growth of blood vessels.
Source: https://investors.modernatx.com/news-releases/news-release-details/phase-1-data-published-nature-communications-show-potential-mrna
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Source: https://investors.modernatx.com/news-releases/news-release-details/phase-1-data-published-nature-communications-show-potential-mrna
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We want to get rid of cancer cells. Inject mRNA that targets cancerous cells and produces a protein that kills those cells in particular.
Source: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/nat.2018.0734
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Source: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/nat.2018.0734
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The potential is insane. This was at a very high level and I have missed out some details.
For more of the details have a look a these great articles by @PowerDNS_Bert
https://berthub.eu/articles/posts/reverse-engineering-source-code-of-the-biontech-pfizer-vaccine/
https://berthub.eu/dna/
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For more of the details have a look a these great articles by @PowerDNS_Bert
https://berthub.eu/articles/posts/reverse-engineering-source-code-of-the-biontech-pfizer-vaccine/
https://berthub.eu/dna/
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