Author: Shawn Ballard

Shawn covers neurology, infectious diseases, molecular microbiology, nephrology and psychiatry, among other topics. She holds bachelor’s degrees in physics and math from the University of Arkansas and a PhD in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Shawn joined WashU Medicine Marketing & Communications in 2025 after working as a science communicator for Arts & Sciences and McKelvey Engineering on the Danforth Campus for six years.

Nasal spray vaccine protects against bird flu in mice

WashU Medicine researchers showed that an experimental bird flu vaccine provides strong protection in mice, even in animals previously vaccinated against seasonal flu. Delivered as a nasal spray, the vaccine guards the nose and upper airways better than a traditional shot, and it can be manufactured without eggs, making it more practical to scale up during an outbreak.