Anna Blakney

Anna Blakney is at the forefront of self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) cancer vaccine development, engineering replicon-based RNA constructs that amplify within cells to produce sustained high levels of tumor antigens from minimal doses, potentially solving the manufacturing scalability challenge of personalized cancer vaccines. Her work has optimized lipid nanoparticle formulations specifically for saRNA delivery to antigen-presenting cells. She has demonstrated that saRNA vaccines generate more durable anti-tumor immune responses than conventional mRNA at 100-fold lower doses. Her research on RNA structural elements that enhance self-amplification efficiency is advancing the next generation of RNA-based cancer vaccine platforms.