In today’s world of fast-paced scientific and medical innovation, it’s easy to forget that some of the most widespread pathogens affecting humanity still lack effective treatments or prevention strategies. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a double-stranded DNA herpes virus, epitomizes this reality. If you aren’t familiar with EBV, your body most likely is—the virus infects over 95% of people worldwide, and while it commonly causes relatively benign cases of mononucleosis (‘mono’), classic and emerging research has linked EBV to various cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, and even multiple sclerosis. Despite this, no treatment or vaccine for EBV exists. The McGuire Lab in the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division at Fred Hutch Cancer Center has taken on this challenge, using state-of-the-art approaches in their efforts to develop a vaccine against EBV. In a recent paper published in Cell Reports Medicine, they present exciting progress towards this goal.
