Project description
Smart patches for mRNA vaccines
mRNA vaccines currently rely on painful injections and strict refrigeration, which often discourages patients and limits global distribution. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the SHINE-Vax project aims to develop a painless, ‘smart’ microneedle patch that adapts to the wearer’s body temperature. Using special dual-layered hydrogels, the patch will release an initial vaccine pulse at normal body temperature and maintain a steady dose to reinforce immunity, but it will automatically pause delivery during a fever to enhance safety. By protecting mRNA within advanced nanoparticles, the project is expected to reduce reliance on expensive cold-chain logistics. Ultimately, SHINE-Vax seeks to make vaccinations more effective and accessible, ensuring life-saving medicine reaches even the most resource-limited communities.
Objective
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the transformative potential of mRNA vaccines, yet their delivery remains confined to intramuscular injections, which cause discomfort, reduce compliance, and rely on cold-chain logistics. Microneedle patches offer a minimally invasive alternative, but current systems mainly provide single-burst, fixed-dose release, limiting safety and efficacy. This project, SHINE-Vax, develops a temperature-responsive hydrogel microneedle system for controlled mRNA vaccine delivery. Dual hydrogel layers with distinct phase transitions enable an initial release pulse at normal body temperature (~37 °C), sustained low-dose diffusion to reinforce immunity, and reversible suppression under fever-like conditions (~39 °C). Encapsulated lipid/polymer nanoparticles preserve mRNA integrity and stability, reducing cold-chain dependence. By integrating materials engineering, nanotechnology, and vaccine science, SHINE-Vax will deliver a proof-of-concept prototype (TRL 2–3) demonstrating autonomous, adaptive release. This innovation aims to enhance vaccine efficacy and safety while broadening accessibility, particularly in resource-limited settings, positioning Europe at the forefront of next-generation, patient-friendly vaccination technologies.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- medical and health sciences health sciences public health epidemiology pandemics
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy pharmaceutical drugs vaccines
- engineering and technology nanotechnology nano-materials
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
171 77 STOCKHOLM
Sweden
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.