Next-Generation RNA Vaccines & Therapies

Anna Blakney, PhD
Assistant Professor
Michael Smith Laboratories 
School of Biomedical Engineering
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC, Canada

This conference is hosted by Martin Sauvageau, PhD. This conference is part of the 2025-2026 IRCM conference calendar.

About this conference
Our research focuses on advancing self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) technologies through improved RNA design and delivery strategies. We develop and evaluate saRNA constructs to enhance expression and durability while systematically comparing delivery platforms, including polymer-based systems and lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), to understand how formulation influences potency and tissue targeting. A major focus of our recent work is enabling efficient saRNA expression in the liver, an important yet challenging target for RNA therapeutics. Together, these efforts aim to expand the therapeutic potential of saRNA for vaccines and protein replacement applications.

About Anna Blakney
Dr. Anna Blakney is an Assistant Professor and Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in the Michael Smith Laboratories and School of Biomedical Engineering at UBC. She received her Bachelor of Science in Chemical & Biological Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and her PhD in Bioengineering from the University of Washington. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Imperial College London on the development of molecular and biomaterial engineering strategies for delivery of self-amplifying RNA. Her lab uses bioengineering, molecular biology and immunology approaches to develop the next generation of RNA vaccines and therapies. Her research has been published in a variety of top tier journals including ACS Nano, Nature Communications, Molecular Therapy, Biomaterials, Journal of Controlled Release, and Advanced Materials. She is also a passionate science communicator and runs a TikTok channel dedicated to educating the public about RNA biotechnology, which now has >250,000 followers and >18M views. Dr. Blakney has received numerous awards and recognitions including the 2023 MIT Tech Review’s 35 Innovators Under 35, 2022 Gairdner Early Career Investigator Award, the 2021 UBC President’s Award for Public Education Through Media, the 2021 American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy Award Science Communication Award and the 2022 Controlled Release Society Gene Delivery and Editing Focus Group Young Investigator Award.

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