In a major scientific breakthrough, researchers at the University of Florida have developed an experimental mRNA-based vaccine that boosts the body’s immune system to target and destroy multiple types of cancer. The study, led by Dr. Elias Sayour and Dr. Duane Mitchell, was published in Nature Biomedical Engineering in 2025 and represents a potentially transformative approach to cancer treatment.
Unlike traditional vaccines, which are designed to prevent infections, this therapeutic mRNA vaccine mimics a viral infection to “trick” the immune system into recognizing and attacking cancer cells. The vaccine essentially programs immune cells to identify tumors as threats, similar to how the body would react to a virus.
In preclinical trials using mice, the vaccine demonstrated remarkable efficacy, especially when used in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors — drugs that help lift the brakes on the immune system, allowing it to mount a stronger response against cancer. In several cases, the combination treatment was able to eliminate tumors that were previously resistant to immunotherapy.
“This is not just a vaccine; it’s a reprogramming of the immune system to recognize cancer,” said Dr. Sayour, a pediatric oncologist and neurosurgeon. “What we’ve done is mimic a viral infection by packaging mRNA inside nanoparticles, which allows the immune system to process the tumor as if it were a virus.”
Dr. Duane Mitchell, co-lead of the study and director of the UF Clinical and Translational Science Institute, emphasized the broader potential of the vaccine. “This is a platform technology. What excites us most is its universal application across many tumor types,” he said.
The vaccine works by extracting tumor RNA and combining it with synthetic mRNA. This hybrid is then encased in a nanoparticle shell, allowing it to be absorbed by immune cells. Once inside, the immune system is alerted to the cancer’s presence and mounts a more aggressive and targeted attack.
In mouse models, the vaccine was tested on glioblastoma (a deadly brain cancer), melanoma, and colon cancer — all of which showed positive responses. In many cases, the tumors shrank significantly, and in others, they disappeared entirely.
Importantly, the vaccine proved especially powerful when paired with existing immunotherapies. Some tumors that were resistant to checkpoint inhibitors alone became responsive once the mRNA vaccine was added to the treatment regimen.
The researchers are now preparing for early-stage human clinical trials. If successful, this vaccine could become a “universal” tool in the fight against cancer — adaptable for use against a wide range of cancers by personalizing it to a patient’s specific tumor RNA.
“This opens the door to a future where we can rapidly develop individualized cancer vaccines tailored to each patient,” said Dr. Sayour.
While it will take years of further testing and regulatory approval before the vaccine could be widely available, the scientific community is already hailing it as a potential game-changer.
Source:
Nature Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida Health (2025)
https://ufhealth.org/news/2025/mrna-vaccine-shows-promise-against-multiple-cancers
