Kathryn A. Whitehead: The tiny balls of fat that could revolutionize medicine

The tiny balls of fat that could revolutionize medicine

What if you were holding life-saving medicine ... but had no way to administer it? Zoom down to the nano level with engineer Kathryn A. Whitehead as she gives a breakdown of the little fatty balls (called lipid nanoparticles) perfectly designed to ferry cutting-edge medicines into your body's cells. Learn how her work is already powering mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines and forging the path for future therapies that could treat Ebola, HIV and even cancer.

Lipid nanoparticles helped deliver mRNA COVID-19 vaccines to cells in record time, slashing vaccine development from years to just 11 months. These microscopic balls of fat act as Trojan horses, safely carrying fragile medicine into the body. Their success is paving the way for future treatments targeting diseases like cystic fibrosis, cancer, and even malaria. Advances in this delivery technology mark a turning point for therapies once thought impossible.