Nanoparticles and Advanced Analytics Accelerate Vaccine Development

On the eve of 2020, the world was rocked by news of an emerging epidemic. In the coming months, as scientists scrambled for answers, pandemonium swept like waves across the borders of six continents.¹

Five years later, we can tell the tale of using the tools of science, we were able to turn the tide on SARS-CoV-2 and, in the process, rewrite the playbook on pandemic preparedness. Through unprecedented global collaboration, innovative technology, adaptive clinical trials, sensible regulatory revisions, and extraordinary funding, a polished vaccine R&D program came into existence. Based on the principles of expedience, adaptability, and data-driven precision, today’s vaccine R&D is now faster, safer, and more resilient to future health threats.

Small but mighty: Nanoparticles in vaccine development

Nanoparticles—a diverse group of materials measuring less than 100 nm—are fundamental to modern ‘nanovaccine’ development, acting as both targeted delivery systems and immune-enhancing adjuvants. Notable examples include the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, which rely on lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for mRNA protection and cellular uptake, and hepatitis B vaccines, which use virus-like particles (VLPs) to mimic viral structures and stimulate a strong immune response.^2,3,4

This year, Greater Boston—home to biopharmaceutical giants like Pfizer, Takeda, and Moderna—will host Pittcon from March 1 to 5. As part of the Pharmaceutical & Biologic conference track, two sessions will explore cutting-edge analytical techniques for vaccine-related nanoparticles, highlighting their role in formulation quality and the future of next-generation therapeutics.

Precision in practice: Nanoparticle characterization in vaccine development

Nanoparticle-based vaccines, particularly LNP-mRNA formulations, require precise characterization to ensure safety, efficacy, and regulatory approval. Inadequacies at this stage can lead to dosing errors, reduced effectiveness, and public mistrust, as seen in the Vaxzevria COVID-19 trial, where an incorrect dose both delayed approval and fueled skepticism.⁵

A variety of analytical techniques, often used in combination, are employed to characterize nanovaccines, assessing their physical, chemical, and stability properties, as well as in vitro immunogenicity, toxicity, and in vivo preclinical performance.⁶ One widely used optical approach, multi-angle light scattering (MALS), measures light scattered by particles in solution when exposed to laser. By analyzing the intensity patterns of scattered light, MALS determines the radius of rotation of nanoparticles.

While MALS provides bulk particle measurements, its integration with size exclusion high-performance chromatography (SEC-MALS) or field-flow fractionation (FFF-MALS) allows for the determination of average particle sizes, extending its utility in nanoparticle characterization.⁷ In a recent study, SEC-MALS effectively revealed the degradation kinetics and physical property changes of mRNA-LNPs, providing insights that conventional dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques could not accurately capture.⁸

Pittcon’s pharmaceutical & biologic track

1. Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation with multi-Angle Light Scattering for Separation and Characterization of Lipid Nanoparticles

Dr. Juan Bian, Principal Scientist at Genentech, will expound an online isolation and characterization platform for separating and analyzing mRNAs and mRNA-loaded LNPs using asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) coupled with MALS, DLS, and dual concentration detectors (dRI/UV).

This multi-detector AF4 platform enables comprehensive LNP characterization in a single injection, including particle sizing, morphology analysis, and encapsulation efficiency. It serves as a powerful tool for monitoring LNP stability under stress conditions, supporting nanoparticle formulation screening, stability assessment, quality control.

Lead author of “The Power of Field-Flow Fractionation in Characterization of Nanoparticles in Drug Delivery,” a review examining AF4 as a technique for nanoparticle separation and characterization, Dr. Bian’s talk offers an insider’s look into groundbreaking analytical techniques driving advancements in vaccine and therapeutic development.^9,10

2. Light scattering solutions for vaccine-related molecules and nanoparticles

Dr. Sophia Kenrick, Director of Analytical Sciences at Wyatt Technology, will discuss light scattering techniques for characterizing vaccine-related molecules and nanoparticles from preclinical development to quality control. This presentation will cover batch DLS for rapid screening and MALS coupled with separation techniques like SEC and FFF for in-depth size distribution, payload quantification, and critical quality attribute analysis.

A co-author of “Multivalent Protein–Nucleic Acid Interactions Probed by Composition-Gradient Multiangle Light Scattering”—which demonstrates that composition-gradient MALS is a reliable method for measuring how RNA-binding proteins interact with nucleic acids, particularly in determining binding strength and protein-to-nucleic acid ratios—Dr. Kenrick’s talk will offer expert insights into characterization strategies guiding the future of vaccine formulation and stability assessment.^11,12

Advancing vaccines through precision characterization at Pittcon

Recent progress in vaccine development—exemplified by mRNA-LNP platforms—has reshaped how we approach pandemic preparedness, therapeutic innovation, and nanoparticle-based drug delivery. Ensuring these technologies are safe, effective, and reproducible depends on advanced characterization techniques like MALS and FFF. These tools enable precise nanoparticle size distribution, encapsulation efficiency, and stability analysis, preventing manufacturing inconsistencies that could impact vaccine efficacy and public trust.

This year, Pittcon provides a global platform for these discussions, uniting scientists, industry leaders, and regulators at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Attracting over 10,000 attendees from 90+ countries, Pittcon fosters enlightenment at the intersection of laboratory science and pharmaceutical development.

For more information on the Pharmaceutical & Biologic conference track, visit www.pittcon.org.

References and further reading

1. Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. Animated Maps. (online) Available at: https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/animated-world-map.
2. Lozano, D., et al. (2023). An Overview of the Use of Nanoparticles in Vaccine Development. Nanomaterials, 13(12), pp.1828–1828. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13121828.
3. Wilson, B. and Geetha, K.M. (2022). Lipid nanoparticles in the development of mRNA vaccines for COVID-19. Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, (online) 74, p.103553. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jddst.2022.103553.
4. Spice, A.J., et al. (2020). Synthesis and Assembly of Hepatitis B Virus-Like Particles in a Pichia pastoris Cell-Free System. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2020.00072.
5. Guerrini, G., et al. (2022). Characterization of nanoparticles-based vaccines for COVID-19. Nature Nanotechnology, (online) 17(6), pp.570–576. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-022-01129-w.
6. Mufamadi, M.S., et al. (2023). Next-Generation Vaccines: Nanovaccines in the Fight against SARS-CoV-2 Virus and beyond SARS-CoV-2. BioMed Research International, (online) 2023, p.e4588659. https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/4588659.
7. Nishimura, H., et al. (2024). Usefulness of Size-Exclusion Chromatography–Multi-Angle Light Scattering to Assess Particle Composition and Protein Impurities for Quality Control of Therapeutic Exosome Preparations. Pharmaceutics, 16(12), pp.1526–1526. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16121526.
8. Liau, B., et al (2024). Quantitative analysis of mRNA-lipid nanoparticle stability in human plasma and serum by size-exclusion chromatography coupled with dual-angle light scattering. Nanomedicine, 58, pp.102745–102745. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nano.2024.102745.
9. Pittcon. (2025). Asymmetrical Flow Field-flow Fractionation with Multi-angle Light Scattering for Separation and Characterization of Lipid Nanoparticles. (online) Available at: https://labscievents.pittcon.org/event/pittcon-2025/planning/UGxhbm5pbmdfMjQ0NDg0Mw== (Accessed 19 Feb. 2025).
10. Bian, J., et al. (2023). The Power of Field-Flow Fractionation in Characterization of Nanoparticles in Drug Delivery. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), (online) 28(10), p.4169. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28104169.
11. Pittcon. (2025). Light Scattering Solutions for Vaccine-Related Molecules and Nanoparticles. (online) Available at: https://labscievents.pittcon.org/event/pittcon-2025/planning/UGxhbm5pbmdfMjQ1Mzg3OQ== (Accessed 19 Feb. 2025).
12. Ferreon, J.C., et al (2024). Multivalent Protein–Nucleic Acid Interactions Probed by Composition-Gradient Multiangle Light Scattering. ACS Omega, 9(39), pp.41003–41010. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.4c06358.

About Pittcon

Pittcon is the world’s largest annual premier conference and exposition on laboratory science. Pittcon attracts more than 16,000 attendees from industry, academia and government from over 90 countries worldwide.

Their mission is to sponsor and sustain educational and charitable activities for the advancement and benefit of scientific endeavor.

Pittcon’s target audience is not just “analytical chemists,” but all laboratory scientists — anyone who identifies, quantifies, analyzes or tests the chemical or biological properties of compounds or molecules, or who manages these laboratory scientists.

Having grown beyond its roots in analytical chemistry and spectroscopy, Pittcon has evolved into an event that now also serves a diverse constituency encompassing life sciences, pharmaceutical discovery and QA, food safety, environmental, bioterrorism and cannabis/psychedelics

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