Seoul: A joint research team from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and domestic biotechnology firm Neogenlogic has developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) model designed to support the development of customised cancer vaccines.
According to Emirates News Agency, the AI platform identifies neoantigens unique to individual cancer patients, enabling vaccines to train the immune system and help prevent disease recurrence. Neoantigens, mutation-derived protein fragments unique to a patient's tumor, are used by vaccines to train the immune system.
The research team explained that while current vaccines mainly focus on activating cytotoxic T cells for immediate attack, there is emerging clinical evidence suggesting that B cell-mediated immune memory is crucial for durable, long-term antitumor responses and preventing recurrence.
The AI model developed by the team predicts which neoantigens will trigger a robust B cell response by learning the structural interaction patterns between mutant peptides and B cell receptors (BCRs). The study introduces the world's first AI framework capable of predicting B cell immunogenicity alongside T cell responses for designing personalised cancer vaccines.