Nanoengineering of Vaccine using DNA Origami Nanoparticles

The DNA origami technology enables the programmed self-assembly of nanoarchitectures of prescribed shape and size. The unique addressability of the DNA origami facilitates orthogonal patterning of various biomolecules and/or inorganic molecules with unprecedented control over their stoichiometry and spatial distribution. Thus, DNA origami nanoparticles have been used to assemble functionalized structures that can precisely mimic complex macromolecular assemblies such as viruses and toxins. These biomimetic architectures represent a promising alternative to traditional nanocarriers used in many biomedical applications. In this talk, I will explain how we can leverage this technology for rational design of safe and effective vaccines. I will first show that we can assess and define specific structural features of antigen presentation that lead to strong immune cell activation using DNA nanoparticles displaying precise organization of antigens on their surface. Then, I will present the results obtained with our strategy for rapid assembly of novel vaccines that induce strong immunization and protection against SARS-CoV-2 in a mouse model. Altogether, these results highlight the potential of DNA origami to assess the role of viral antigen nanopatterning on immune cell activation and the efficacy of this approach to help inform the design of a novel efficient and safe vaccine strategies against several infectious diseases.