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How does recombinant DNA technology help scientists develop vaccines?

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Infographic showing estimated lives saved by childhood vaccinations worldwide from 1974 to 2024, with syringe-shaped bars for each disease. Measles tops the list at 93.71 million lives saved, followed by tetanus, whooping cough, and others, for a total of 153.84 million lives saved. — vaccine Vaccines and the estimates of lives saved over the period 1974–2024.

Recombinant DNA technology has revolutionized vaccine development by allowing scientists to precisely manipulate the genetic material of pathogens to create safer and more effective immunizations.12

This technology assists in several key ways:

Antigen Production: Researchers can identify specific genes that encode immunity-stimulating proteins (antigens) and mass-produce them using genetically modified organisms, such as yeast or bacteria. This is how vaccines like the hepatitis B vaccine are manufactured.123
Viral Vectors: Scientists can insert genetic material coding for a desired antigen into a harmless or attenuated virus (such as vaccinia). This carrier virus then delivers the genes to the body to stimulate an immune response.1
Viruslike Particles (VLPs): Recombinant technology is used to create VLPs, which mimic the structure of a virus but lack infectious genetic material. Vaccines against human papillomavirus are produced using this method.1
Safety and Accessibility: By avoiding the use of live, dangerous pathogens, these methods create safer vaccines. Furthermore, research into "edible vaccines" produced in plants aims to provide inexpensive, needle-free options for global health.12