Nanomaterials for Vaccine Delivery

Abstract

The development of potent and efficacious vaccinations is an essential task for preventing infectious diseases and reducing the global burden of the disease. Nanotechnology offers innovative strategies to design and deliver vaccines with improved immunogenicity, stability, and other properties. Nanomaterials play multifaceted roles in immunomodulation. The delivery of antigens via nanomaterials such as carbon-based, lipid, polymeric, fiber-based, metallic, and other newer technologies has a certain edge of enhanced bioavailability, a controlled release profile, and even enabling processes such as single, multitargeting, and imaging. This chapter highlights the advancements and history of nanomaterials, including their development, structures, methods for preparation, mechanisms for immunogenicity, advantages as carriers, excipients, or a tool for improving current vaccination methods. In addition to the above, this chapter also deals with the benefits of nanomaterials over traditional vaccine delivery and the challenges faced in their development.