AI-designed protein shells could make vaccines more effective

AI can design extremely dense protein shells that could one day lead to more potent vaccines. The genetic material of viruses is housed in protein shells. Similar shells made in the lab are used in vaccines, encapsulating molecules that induce an immune response in the body. The chemical and biological properties of these artificially made shells depend on their construction – any imperfections in them, no matter how small, make them less effective, causing them to be unstable and react unpredictably inside cells. Isaac Lutz at the University of Washington in Seattle and his colleagues wanted to see if using artificial intelligence could make the design and creation of these shells more precise.