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Immunity By Design

Immunity By Design

Veröffentlicht: 2026-04-14
© Oxford University; the media items are released with a Creative Commons licence
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2 Folgen
Audio
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2 Folgen
Audio
Anhören auf Apple Podcasts
Veröffentlicht: 2026-04-14
© Oxford University; the media items are released with a Creative Commons licence
Aktuelle Folge
Can AI Solve Snakebite?

Can AI Solve Snakebite?

In this episode of Immunity by Design, Prof Hashem Koohy is joined by with Dr Timothy Jenkins to explore how AlphaFold and experimental technologies are transforming antibody discovery, enabling the design of molecules that can ne Snakebite envenoming r
Länge: 48:16
Prof Hashem Koohy is joined by Dr Timothy Jenkins to explore how AlphaFold and experimental technologies are transforming antibody discovery, enabling molecules that neutralise multiple snake venom toxins. Snakebite envenoming remains one of the most neglected global health challenges, causing over 100,000 deaths each year, yet antivenom design has changed little in more than a century. In this episode of Immunity by Design, Dr Timothy Jenkins (head of Centre for Translational Protein Design, at the Technical University of Denmark) joins us to discuss a new paradigm for antibody discovery at the interface of AI and biology.
We explore his team’s recent work (bioRxiv: 2026.01.19.700436), where they develop an integrated pipeline combining phage display, yeast display, deep sequencing, and structure prediction (AlphaFold3) to identify polyspecific nanobodies -- molecules capable of neutralizing multiple snake venom toxins simultaneously. This represents a fundamental shift from traditional approaches, moving from empirical discovery toward more predictive, design-driven strategies.
The conversation unpacks not only how these technologies were brought together, but why this moment -- driven by advances in machine learning and structural biology-- makes such integration possible. We discuss the strengths and limitations of current tools (including AlphaFold), the concept of polyspecificity as a design principle, and how multi-objective optimisation (affinity, solubility) can be achieved without compromising function.
Looking beyond snakebite, we explore how this pipeline could be applied across immunology and biomedicine— from viral escape and pandemic preparedness to cancer and biosecurity, highlighting the importance of democratising AI tools for tackling neglected and resource-limited diseases.
Finally, we reflect on the human side of science: building multidisciplinary teams, fostering positive research culture, and navigating non-linear scientific careers at the interface of disciplines.
Folgen-ID: 1000761310350
GUID: http://rss.oucs.ox.ac.uk/tag:2026-04-14:142525:000:episode:97277a0c-8d24-4016-a655-6581e5aa2d9f:audio
Erscheinungs­datum: 14.4.2026, 15:15:55

Beschreibung

From Cells to Systems Through Human and Machine Intelligence.
Modern immunology stands at a transformative turning point. Emerging AI and experimental technologies are rapidly reshaping how we do and understand immunology. But this acceleration comes at a cost. A widening gap seems to emerge: those who adapt alongside these changes prove more effective at translating ideas into impact, while even the most brilliant concepts can be consumed by complexity and strategy. And in the middle, a central challenge remains: how do we move beyond pattern recognition to genuine mechanistic understanding? How do we use AI not as a black box for prediction, but as a tool to decode underlying biological principles?
'Immunity by Design: From Cells to Systems Through Human and Machine Intelligence', explores these questions with the pioneers in science an innovation as well as representatives of policymakers. Hosted by Professor Hashem Koohy -- a leading scientist with a research focus on systems immunology  the podcast brings together researchers, technology developers, entrepreneurs, and investors reimagining immune science for the digital age. Each episode explores how data, AI, and systems immunology are reshaping discovery: how researchers combine spatial and single-cell technologies, immune-repertoire profiling, and in-silico innovations to reveal disease mechanisms and inform therapeutic development; how experimental design can enable interpretable, mechanism driven AI; and how we trace the path from data to insight, from model to medicine, and from idea to impact.

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