PLUTO Project

The “Programming Long-lasting Immunity to Coronaviruses” (PLUTO) project is a multi-institutional initiative led by Viviana Simon, MD, PhD, Professor of Microbiology; Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine; and Medicine (Infectious Diseases) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Ali Ellebedy, PhD, Associate Professor of Pathology and Immunology, Medicine and Molecular Microbiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

The long-term goal of PLUTO is to develop variant-proof, universal vaccines that protect against many different coronaviruses in a long-lasting manner. Such vaccines will help curb the current SARS-CoV-2 variants and reduce the risk of future pandemics associated with different coronaviruses.

To achieve its ambitious research agenda, the PLUTO program has assembled a team of investigators with extensive expertise in virology, immunology, pathogenesis, universal vaccine development, and structural biology who have a well-established track record of successful collaborations.