Could this nasal spray replace all your vaccines one day? episode artwork

EPISODE · Jul 27, 2026 · 10 MIN

Could this nasal spray replace all your vaccines one day?

from Short Wave

There’s the flu vaccine. The covid shot. The RSV shot… What if all of these—and more—could be combined into one universal vaccine? That’s what immunologist Bali Pulendran is working on in his lab. For this episode in our Tech Camp series, Regina G. Barber talks to him about how far he’s gotten, how far he has to go and why our ancient immune system is the key to it all. Plus they discuss how the vaccine may not be a shot at all—but a needle-free nasal spray. Sources: Mucosal vaccination in mice provides protection from diverse respiratory threatsNon-specific effects of BCG vaccine on viral infectionsInterested in more science of the future? Email us your question at [email protected] public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. It includes perks like bonus episodes, early access, archive access, curated playlists and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jul 27, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

Could this nasal spray replace all your vaccines one day?

0:00 10:25

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Short Wave?

This episode is 10 minutes long.

When was this Short Wave episode published?

This episode was published on July 27, 2026.

Can I download this Short Wave episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!