Researchers at the University of Cambridge have used artificial intelligence (AI) to develop a new type of vaccine that could protect against large groups of viruses and help prevent future pandemics.
The team says this is the first time a vaccine’s key component has been designed entirely by AI and then tested in humans.
The vaccine has been engineered to work against all coronaviruses, including existing COVID variants and animal coronaviruses that could potentially spread to humans in the future.
Instead of using one current virus strain, researchers analyzed genetic codes from several coronaviruses collected through surveillance programs. AI then used this information to design a “super-antigen,” which is the part of the vaccine that trains the immune system to recognize and attack a virus.
Professor Jonathan Heeney from the University of Cambridge said the aim is to move beyond reacting to viruses after they mutate.
“We’re always behind,” he said, adding that researchers want to “get ahead of the curve.”
The first human trial involved 39 people and focused mainly on safety. A second study involving around 200 people will examine how well the vaccine trains the immune system.
Findings published in the Journal of Infection showed a “modest” immune response, but researchers and other experts say the approach has strong potential.
Professor Saul Faust from the University of Southampton said the AI-designed vaccine “definitely has potential” and described the work as “really exciting.”
The Cambridge team is also working on similar vaccine approaches for flu, H5N1 bird flu and viral hemorrhagic fevers, including Ebola species.
Experts say the real test will come from larger human trials, but the research could mark an important step toward faster vaccine development before future outbreaks become global pandemics.
