Short Wave
Short Wave
NPR
Could this nasal spray replace all your vaccines one day?
10 minutes Posted Jul 27, 2026 at 7:00 am.
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There’s the flu vaccine. The covid shot. The RSV shot… What if all of these—and more—could be combined into one universal vaccine? That’s what immunologist Bali Pulendran is working on in his lab. For this episode in our Tech Camp series, Regina G. Barber talks to him about how far he’s gotten, how far he has to go and why our ancient immune system is the key to it all. Plus they discuss how the vaccine may not be a shot at all—but a needle-free nasal spray. 

Sources: 
Mucosal vaccination in mice provides protection from diverse respiratory threats
Non-specific effects of BCG vaccine on viral infections

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