Nanoparticles and DNA vaccines, new UCM summer course in San Lorenzo de El Escorial

On July 4 and 5, 2022, the course Nanoparticles and DNA vaccines will be held within the programming of the XXXV Edition of the Summer Courses of the Complutense University of Madrid. Prof. Vicente Larraga, from the Margarita Salas Center for Biological Research (CSIC), is the Secretary of this course, directed by Prof. María Vallet-Regí, from the UCM Faculty of Pharmacy. The course, sponsored by ERC Verdi, will be held at the Real Centro Universitario Escorial – María Cristina located in San Lorenzo de El Escorial (Madrid), and will focus on new tools in the fight against the disease.

In recent years, progress has been made in the development of new ways to deliver drugs to their target. An effective and innovative method for the delivery of specific drugs directed at their target organs is nanoparticles, which help improve the specificity of these therapeutic preparations while reducing their side effects. Nanoparticles are also being tested in the field of vaccines, both in the use of nucleic acids and in the use of the cell's own systems to produce protective antigens against a pathogen and thus activate the defense of the immune system. The appearance of Covid-19 accelerated the emergence of this new type of vaccine in the global pharmaceutical scene (with the examples of Pfizer or Moderna in the case of RNA).

This course will focus on presenting the most recent results in the development of this type of advanced technology, giving students a realistic overview of the most advanced research in the field by the groups that develop it (UCM, CSIC, and Zaragoza's University). Likewise, there will be representation from the private company (Grupo Zendal) that is collaborating with them to put the products on the market at the disposal of society.

Postgraduate students, MIR, FIR, or equivalent interested in participating in the course, can apply for a scholarship that covers up to 100% of the tuition. The deadline for application ends on May 26, 2022.

Complete information regarding the course, as well as the registration form, can be found at this link.

Information regarding scholarships can be found here.