Date: 19/06/2024
The Finnish national broadcasting company (YLE) recently conducted an insightful interview with Dr. Pieta Mattila's laboratory at the University of Turku, Finland, within their news piece on the emerging threats of mosquito-borne diseases raising the head in Europe. The visit showcased the Yellow4FLAVI initiative in advancing our understanding of mosquito-borne diseases and development of new protective vaccines against them.
Dr. Pieta Mattila's team is at the forefront of investigating the cellular mechanisms underlying the activation of B lymphocytes, the cells responsible for the antibody responses. Within the Yellow4FLAVI initiative, this knowhow will be harnessed to understand, at the molecular level, the superior efficacy of the protective antibody responses raised by the yellow fever vaccine, potentially paving the way for enhanced vaccines against other diseases like Dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya, transmitted by mosquitoes.
Dr. Mattila emphasized that despite the recent major advances in the research methods, the journey from research to new vaccines may span a decade or more, given the meticulous processes involved in vaccine development and rigorous testing.
The interview underscored the critical importance of international consortia, such as Yellow4FLAVI, in tackling global public health challenges. Globalization and progressing climate change expands the geographical reach of tropical mosquitoes into new regions, making understanding and combating mosquito-borne diseases increasingly important.
In addition to highlighting Dr. Pieta Mattila's laboratory, the interview also showcased efforts by another group, also at the university of Turku, in developing a new type of highly efficient and biodegradable mosquito-repellent, as the threat of mosquito-borne disease should be tackled at several frontiers.
News published: https://yle.fi/a/74-20090190
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