A research team at UGA is working to improve the MMR vaccine. The mumps vaccine, included in the 2-dose MMR vaccine, did not prevent outbreaks of the mumps in 2006 and 2010. This is possibly because a new strain of the mumps virus emerged. This new strain caused the outbreaks, but the current vaccine prevents the old strain of the virus.

 

Adrian Pickar is a graduating PhD student on the team. She believes that the experts in the scientific community need to communicate with the public more clearly. This way, the public will understand more about science in general and the MMR vaccine specifically. She believes this could keep people from distrusting vaccines.