Some vaccines are made using recombinant DNA technology. Scientists use genetic engineering to insert a gene from the pathogen into bacteria or yeast cells. This gene instructs the cell’s machinery to produce part of the pathogen, such as a viral surface protein. The protein is then purified and used as a vaccine.

Another way scientists make vaccines is by weakening live viruses. Watch the animation, “Attenuation: How Scientists Make Live Vaccines,” to learn more:    • Attenuation: How Scientists Make Live...  .

Animation created by and for the Vaccine Makers Project.
The Vaccine Makers Project gratefully acknowledges the ongoing collaboration and partnership with XVIVO, creator of medical animations and scientific media: https://xvivo.com.
Copyright © 2016, Medical History Pictures, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Vaccine Makers Project (VMP) is the classroombased program of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (VEC at CHOP). The Center’s team is composed of scientists, physicians, mothers and fathers devoted to the study and prevention of infectious diseases. The Center was launched in October 2000 to provide accurate, comprehensive and uptodate information about vaccines and the diseases they prevent. The VMP program is committed to public education about vaccine science via scientifically supported, historically accurate, and emotionally compelling content.

Access the VMP’s free classroom materials: http://www.VaccineMakers.org.

Find information and resources related to vaccines and their safety: http://vaccine.chop.edu.

Learn more about the awardwinning documentary for which the original animations were created. The documentary tells the compelling story of one of the world’s most accomplished scientists, Maurice Hilleman: http://www.HillemanFilm.com.