New research expected to help develop universal flu vaccine

(ChinaPost.com.tw) – Academia Sinica President Wong Chi-huey said yesterday that he has discovered a way to develop and produce a “universal vaccine” that can protect against most influenza viruses.

Wong released the results of his research in a speech titled “Protein Glycosylation: New Challenges and Opportunities” delivered at the five-day 12th International Symposium of the Society of Chinese Bioscientists in America (SCBA), which opened at Academia Sinica Sunday.

The expert in bio-organic and synthetic chemistry and biocatalysis said his team found that once the glycoprotein the flu virus uses to cover its existence is removed, the human immune system can identify it and attack when the virus invades the body.

Wong explained that more than 50 percent of the proteins found in humans are glocosylated, which is why flu virus uses glycoprotein as a disguise.

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