'Tremendous uncertainty' for cancer research as US officials target mRNA vaccines

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Guardian

Sat 12 Jul 2025 08.00 EDT
Last modified on Sat 12 Jul 2025 08.02 EDT


As US regulators restrict Covid mRNA vaccines and as independent vaccine advisers re-examine the shots, scientists fear that an unlikely target could be next: cancer research. Messenger RNA, or mRNA, vaccines have shown promise in treating and preventing cancers that have often been difficult to address, such as pancreatic cancer, brain tumors and others.

But groundbreaking research could stall as federal and state officials target mRNA shots, including ending federal funding for bird flu mRNA vaccines, restricting who may receive existing mRNA vaccines and, in some places, proposing laws against the vaccines. The Trump administration has also implemented unprecedented cuts to cancer research, among other research cuts and widespread layoffs at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

At least 16 grants involving the word “mRNA” have been terminated or frozen, according to the crowdsourced project Grant Watch, and scientists have been told to remove mentions of mRNA vaccines from their research applications, KFF Health News reported in March.Researchers fear that therapeutic cancer vaccines will get “swept up in that tidal wave” against mRNA vaccines, Aaron Sasson, chief of surgical oncology at Stony Brook University, said in April.

When it comes to mRNA breakthroughs, “the next couple of years are the most critical”, Elias Sayour, a professor for pediatric oncology research at the University of Florida, said. “If the progress we’ve made to date – which has been prodigious – if that is just stopped or stymied, it can absolutely affect the trajectory and the arc,” he said.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/12/mrna-vaccine-cancer-research-trump-administration

[FakeNoose]

1. Chump isn't getting enough "tribute" from Pfizer, Merck, Eli Lilly and other big pharmas

[wiggs]

2. Thank you Guardian for, once again, writing about important US issues. nt

[Hekate]

3. Dear scientists: a lot of us will understand if you get out while you can. Humanity needs you...

…more than just one country that is committing suicide.

Gods, I am getting chills just writing that.

[jimmy the one]

4. An Aside, referring to mRNA

Message RNA, mRNA, is really just one of three steps in creating a vaccine.
The other two steps are tRNA - transfer RNA,
And rRNA - ribosomal RNA.

mRNA reads somehow what is needed from a virus, to create molecular antibodies against it.
tRNA transfers necessary amino acid molecules for the vaccine, to an accepting ribosome.
rRNA accepts amino acid molecules into one side of a ribosome, and spits out vaccine molecules from another side.
A ribosome is often represented as a snail like image, where the bottom accepts and the top exudes.

Similar to baking a cake. The cookbook is mRNA, read for instruction 'messages' how to bake a cake.
A kitchen table is tRNA, where 'messages' set forth in the cookbook are transferred and mixed - sugar salt flour eggs water mixing spoon pan.
The 'ribosome' oven is rRNA where the filled cake pan is put in the ribosome oven where it comes out a baked cake.

Transcript RNA is also called message RNA, and translation RNA is also know as tRNA.

Since the ribosome actually creates the antibodies, seems to me the vaccine would be better named ribosomal RNA rather than message RNA. You cannot make a cake just by reading about it.
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I am not an ego, jimmy the one is a British naval term. A guy on an hms ship of size.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. And as I was taught in one of my chem courses as part of my chem degree (and from HS genetics)

"mRNA" is basically a "mirror" of a target DNA chain, with the A-T, G-C & the U (as A-U, like the "and Peggy" from "Hamilton" ).

(you can tell I'm tired now )

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. The point is that the mRNA codes for a viral protein

Yes, tRNA and rRNA are involved in the process, but they belong to the human (or whatever) cell. Normally, they follow the coding supplied by human mRNA (which is copied from human nuclear DNA). But when a virus invades a cell, it supplies its own mRNA (or DNA to be copied) for all the molecules that it consists of, and that is then processed by the tRNA and rRNA molecules.

So the vaccine has mRNA that codes for a protein particular to the virus - so that the human cells produce some of the virus protein, which the human immune system then recognises as foreign, and sets itself up to quickly attack it. Then, when the actual virus arrives, the immune system is ready for it. And since only one protein (or maybe a few - I'm not sure) is coded for, it's not the whole virus, and won't reproduce like a virus.

This means the only form of RNA in the vaccine is the mRNA that codes for the viral protein. So it is best to call it an mRNA vaccine. To use your analogy, the kitchen equipment and ingredients are all already present; it is just a new cookbook that's supplied.

[BumRushDaShow]

12. "it's not the whole virus, and won't reproduce like a virus. "

It takes one of the types of circulating human's cells and programs them to grow a "fake" set of viral spikes on their exteriors to make them "look like" the virus. Then the rest of the immune system gets to work figuring out what the hell this cell is and how to get rid of it!

[jimmy the one]

14. Thanks for clarifying

Thanks Muriel and cheers; I think you clarify and aptly point out the flaws in my reasoning - note biology is fascinating to me but not a strong point.
Is there a delayed reaction of any sort where a ribosome actually produces an antibody? Iirc my 600 page biology book explained that was how a vaccine became one.

Please tell me you do not really strangle voles!
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I am not an ego, jimmy the one is a British naval term.

[milestogo]

5. Is there any legitimate scientific basis for questioning this?

Last edited Sat Jul 12, 2025, 06:09 PM - Edit history (1)

Or is all this angst generated by the stupidity of RFK Jr?

[Marthe48]

6. putin wants to kill us

and the only record traitor felon will hold is highest death count.

[milestogo]

7. What does cancer research and mrna have to do with Putin?

[Marthe48]

10. Undermining any advances in health and well-being

can only aid putin, who, if he isn't directing traitor/felon, is thrilled when any news like this comes out.

[applegrove]

11. Trump policy: death

[Picaro]

13. If we don't follow up on the research other nations will

The Trump cabal seems to be trying to ensure that the US will no longer be the preeminent leader in science.