A team of British researchers, led by scientists at the universities of Cambridge and Southampton in the United Kingdom, has developed the first vaccine designed entirely by artificial intelligence (AI) to be tested in humans.
“Viruses like Influenza, Coronaviruses and the Ebola group are evolving continuously, and by the time vaccines are rolled out, they may be poorly matched — the current “reactive” vaccine system struggles to keep pace,” said professor Saul Faust from the University of Southampton, the trial’s chief investigator.
In recent years, there have been multiple outbreaks caused by betacoronavirus, the most significant of which caused the COVID-19 pandemic. The continued circulation of these viruses has led pathogens to mutate and new variants to emerge.
Recognising the need for vaccines that can provide broader coverage against both current and future dangerous mutations, the team has developed a new type of vaccine offering lasting protection against a broad range of viruses — such as Ebola or the coronavirus group — even as they mutate.
“We’ve converted vaccine development from being reactive to being future proof,” said professor Jonathan Heeney from the Lab of Viral Zoonotics at the University of Cambridge and the scientific lead of the research.
