The mass distribution of oral vaccines is not as effective as it could be. And as global warming continues to affect the Earth, we will only see an increase in diseases, making herd immunity harder to attain. The goal of the project was to develop an oral vaccine casing that could protect the vaccine component by resisting digestion and ensure the vaccine reaches the mucosal lining of the small intestine. A gel casing made of sodium alginate was created and tested in HCI and NaOH acid. Results show that these casings survived both systems with the presence of potassium. Both of these acids simulate the pH environment of the stomach showing that the casing can be potentially effective in protecting the vaccine components.

View the full poster here