MEDICINE
One vaccine to rule them all
Your annual flu shot may soon be obsolete.
Currently, vaccines are developed using an active strain of a virus. But since some sneaky pathogens are constantly mutating, medicine has always been a step behind.
That is, until AI pulled an Uno Reverse on the whole operation!
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed a “fundamentally new” type of vaccine that could drastically change preventative medicine. Rather than working strain-by-strain, an AI-designed “super antigen” fights a whole family of viruses.
So scientists can stop chasing a moving target.
The breakthrough:
Cambridge researchers used AI to analyze a range of coronavirus strains.
They developed one antigen to target the whole Covid family, including variants not yet seen in humans.
Early trials determined safety. Now a second study will measure immune system efficacy.
The same strategy is already being applied to the flu, bird flu, and Ebola.
Elsewhere, in Britain
Not to be outdone, Oxford is also making medical moves. The university just received funding and access to one of the UK’s most powerful supercomputers, in their effort to advance AI-designed cancer vaccines.
So as Cambridge combats contagions, Oxford tailors cancer treatments.
And lab by lab, AI is reimagining modern medicine.
Yes, yes, yes! More of this please. - TL