We are excited to share new research from our collaboration with AstraZeneca, now on bioRxiv!
How can mRNA vaccines achieve longer liquid stability without changing lipid chemistry or modifying the mRNA itself? By adjusting the ionic strength and type of acidic mixing buffer used during lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formation, researchers at AstraZeneca found that liquid shelf-life can be extended by approximately 7-fold at room temperature — a striking improvement from a surprisingly simple formulation change.
NanoImaging Services performed cryo-TEM characterization for this project, revealing a distinct structural feature called a "bleb" that forms under these new buffer conditions. By connecting nanoscale morphology to real-world stability outcomes, our imaging provided a mechanistic window into why these formulations perform better — not just a snapshot of what they look like.
Cryo-TEM drives formulation insight: seeing structural features at nanoscale resolution helps explain the behavior that bulk assays can only measure. Congratulations to the AstraZeneca team on this innovative and impactful work!
We are excited to share new research from our collaboration with AstraZeneca, now on bioRxiv!
How can mRNA vaccines achieve longer liquid stability without changing lipid chemistry or modifying the mRNA itself? By adjusting the ionic strength and type of acidic mixing buffer used during lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formation, researchers at AstraZeneca found that liquid shelf-life can be extended by approximately 7-fold at room temperature — a striking improvement from a surprisingly simple formulation change.
NanoImaging Services performed cryo-TEM characterization for this project, revealing a distinct structural feature called a "bleb" that forms under these new buffer conditions. By connecting nanoscale morphology to real-world stability outcomes, our imaging provided a mechanistic window into why these formulations perform better — not just a snapshot of what they look like.
Cryo-TEM drives formulation insight: seeing structural features at nanoscale resolution helps explain the behavior that bulk assays can only measure. Congratulations to the AstraZeneca team on this innovative and impactful work!
Grundler, J.; Chertok, B.; Nilam, A.; Edmundson, A.; Song, M.; Newton, M.; Scholfield, M. R.; Padilla, A. M.; Payton, N. M. Bleb Formation Induced by Acidic Mixing Buffers Improves Liquid Stability of mRNA-LNPs. bioRxiv 2026. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.03.05.709631
