A Pwani University student joined the race to create a Covid-19 vaccine by researching three different possibilities of creating one.
Emmanuel Jackson, a Microbiology student from the Kilifi-based university came up with theoretical research on how to best come up with a successful vaccine or treatment for Covid-19.
Jackson took to Twitter on Wednesday, April 29, to share his research with the first method being the destruction of the spike proteins of the virus.
"Altering/destruction of the spike protein(s) on the SARS COV2 virus to prevent it from attaching to a cell. I believe my approach to this procedure is unique with the information I managed to acquire from different sources," he explains.
His second method involves the use of antibodies, "The convalescent serum antibody treatment. With recovered patients being able to be re-infected because the body does not develop an immune memory to SARS COV2. I worked on how to create a lasting immune memory in the body."
His third theoretical method was centred on stopping the duplication of the virus.
"This much entails the CRISPR technology. All these are explained in detail in my research proposal report. I can share my work when given the chance," he said as he urged Kenyans on Twitter to share his thread for him to get support.
Jackson called upon the government to support his research as the country continued to develop a vaccine against the deadly virus.
The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) started the process of developing a vaccine for Covid-19 with a possible candidate vaccine prototype expected in October.
The process of coming up with a vaccine is a costly project with KEMRI estimating the cost of production of the prototype vaccine to be around Ksh500 million.
Jackson might just get an opportunity to join KEMRI's research of Covid-19 vaccine as the medical research centre advertised on its website that it was looking for 60 new personnel expected to boost the institution's Coronavirus testing capacity with a number of openings or young researchers.
Britain and China have already developed a prototype vaccine with human trials having commenced in late April 2020.
