Vaccine and Immunology

Animal & Plant Derived Vaccines

The first plant engineering technique was developed around thirty years ago. While the idea of plant-based medications or vaccines inspires us to use plant engineering to create viable commercial solutions, there are some obstacles in the way of achieving the ultimate objective: producing a product that is approved. Currently, the only plant-based vaccination authorized by the US Department of Agriculture is a poultry vaccine for Newcastle disease, which is created using tobacco cells maintained in suspension. Although it will take time and a lot of work to commercialize plant-based vaccines, there are a number of candidate vaccines in clinical trials for use in both people and animals. An overview of current human and animal vaccinations is given, along with a discussion of plant engineering technologies and legislation pertinent to the creation of plant-based vaccines.