The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted a main concern in vaccine transportation: the storage of vaccines. Most vaccines call for cold storage till they are administered to individuals. Having said that, researchers at Purdue University are exploring a new approach of freeze-drying vaccines that is less costly and quicker than existing selections. Freeze-dried vaccines have been utilised for more than 50 years and played a vital part in the Planet Wellness Organization’s efforts to eradicate smallpox. At Purdue, researchers program to use microwaves to make freeze-drying much more feasible for massive-scale production.

According to Alina Alexeenko, a Purdue researcher, vaccines can currently be freeze-dried, but the existing processes are either slow or costly. The team’s aim is to resolve this bottleneck and improve capacity. The microwave approach getting created at Purdue could drastically increase vaccine access, particularly in places that lack cold storage facilities. Freeze-dried vaccines do not call for refrigeration and can be activated by adding a liquid resolution when prepared for use.

Ahmad Darwish, a analysis associate, explained that the microwave approach has faced challenges with heating uniformity. Having said that, their technique has accomplished drastically enhanced uniformity and heating efficiency. The Purdue researchers are presently functioning towards bringing their technologies to the marketplace, which could have a considerable influence on vaccine distribution and accessibility.