Enzo Paoletti
Encyclopedia
Enzo Paoletti is an Italian scientist who devised a strategy to produce recombinant DNA
vaccines. Working with his colleague Dennis Panicali at the New York State department of Health and using genetic engineering
techniques, the researchers were able to transform ordinary smallpox
vaccine into vaccines that may be able to prevent other diseases.
What Paoletti and his colleague, virologist Dennis Panicali, set out to do was to alter the DNA of cowpox
virus by inserting a gene from another virus (namely herpes, hepatitis B or influenza
). These efforts resulted in the development of a commercial Hepatitis B vaccine which is now widely used.
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
vaccines. Working with his colleague Dennis Panicali at the New York State department of Health and using genetic engineering
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
techniques, the researchers were able to transform ordinary smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
vaccine into vaccines that may be able to prevent other diseases.
What Paoletti and his colleague, virologist Dennis Panicali, set out to do was to alter the DNA of cowpox
Cowpox
Cowpox is a skin disease caused by a virus known as the Cowpox virus. The pox is related to the vaccinia virus and got its name from the distribution of the disease when dairymaids touched the udders of infected cows. The ailment manifests itself in the form of red blisters and is transmitted by...
virus by inserting a gene from another virus (namely herpes, hepatitis B or influenza
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
). These efforts resulted in the development of a commercial Hepatitis B vaccine which is now widely used.