EurekAlert! In the Spotlight

Welcome to In the Spotlight, where each month we shine a light on something exciting, timely, or simply fascinating from the world of science.

This September, we're exploring the science behind vaccines. From how they train our immune systems to fight disease to the research shaping their future, vaccines offer an opportunity to discover the science helping protect individuals and communities around the world.

Latest News Releases

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 19-Oct-2026 22:16 ET (20-Oct-2026 02:16 GMT/UTC)

19-Oct-2026

Changes to hepatitis B immunization schedule would increase infections, model predicts

Brigham and Women's Hospital
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In a new study, Mass General Brigham researchers used a model to simulate the impact of the new HBV vaccination recommendations on HBV infections and susceptibility. Compared with universal vaccination at birth, they estimated that delaying HBV vaccination until infants are two months old would increase the number of chronic HBV infections by around 19%, whereas a shared decision-making strategy would increase infections by around 83%.

Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine
Funder: James and Audrey Foster MGH Research Scholar Award, Harvard University Center for AIDS Research

19-Oct-2026

£4 million awarded to develop vaccines that protect livestock and tackle growing biosecurity threat

University of Surrey
Grant and Award Announcement

Scientists from the University of Surrey are set to receive a share of £4 million to help tackle the growing biosecurity threat faced by the UK.

19-Oct-2026

Views of science help explain partisan differences over vaccine safety and effectiveness

Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania
Peer-Reviewed Publication

How Americans view science and scientists is strongly associated with whether they think vaccines are safe and effective — and helps explain partisan differences in perceptions of some vaccines, according to a new study led by a team from the Annenberg Public Policy Center.

Journal: American Journal of Public Health

15-Oct-2026

mRNA vaccines compared head-to-head in world-first study

Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A world-first study by Australian researchers compared three mRNA-LNP vaccine platforms in human blood samples, generating findings that could revolutionise cancer treatment and vaccine design.

Journal: ACS Nano
Funder: Australian Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council, Medical Research Future Fund, Medical Research Future Fund, Victorian Critical Vaccinees Collection

14-Oct-2026

Vaccinating moms protects offspring from deadly superbug

WashU Medicine
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Study found vaccinating pregnant mice against K. pneumoniae protects newborns from lethal bloodstream infections.

The approach protected over 80% of offspring from death.

Researchers are now testing updated vaccines against multiple strains of the superbug.

Journal: Science Advances
Funder: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

14-Oct-2026

Flu season is here. Is it time for your shot?

University of Texas at Arlington

Flu season runs October through May, with activity most often peaking between December and February, although it can start as early as the fall. Health officials recommend getting an annual flu shot by the end of October, as it takes about two weeks to build full immunity.

13-Oct-2026

Mount Sinai awarded five-year, $20.7 million vaccine development agreement to advance next-generation technologies against respiratory threats

The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Grant and Award Announcement

Project will begin with an H5N1 flu vaccine prototype and development of a vaccine platform framework for broader, safer, and more durable immune protection

Funder: Defense Threat Reduction Agency

11-Oct-2026

Researchers make progress on Zika vaccine using nonhuman primate model

Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers led by Prof. DAI Lianpan and Prof. George F. Gao from the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Dr. LU Shuaiyao from the Institute of Medical Biology of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences reported that a fusion-loop-engineered vaccine against the Zika virus (ZIKV) has shown promise in a nonhuman primate model.

Journal: Cell Reports Medicine