Researchers Unveil High-Volume Antibody Testing Method to Boost Treatment Development
A team of researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has developed a rapid, high-volume method for antibody testing, which could significantly expedite disease research and the development of new treatments. This innovative platform, known as the oPool+ display, allows for the simultaneous creation and testing of large numbers of antibodies, streamlining a process that has traditionally been slow and resource-intensive.
The findings, recently published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, highlight the potential of this new method to enhance vaccine and immune therapy development. According to Nicholas Wu, a biochemistry professor and lead researcher, the oPool+ display could revolutionize the search for effective antibody candidates against various diseases.
With over 150 FDA-approved antibody therapeutics currently in use for conditions ranging from cancer to autoimmune diseases, a high-throughput method could accelerate the identification of promising candidates. Wenhao “Owen” Ouyang, a graduate student and the study’s first author, emphasized the significance of their findings, stating, “With a rapid, high-throughput method like ours, we can search for potential antibody candidates that have great therapeutic potential.”
Historically, the process of synthesizing and analyzing antibodies has been tedious, often taking weeks to months for a single antibody. This is particularly challenging given that the human body can produce trillions of different antibodies. Ouyang noted, “In a research lab, each antibody can take one person weeks to months to produce and analyze. We asked ourselves how we could scale this up to better understand this extremely diverse class of molecules.”
To address this challenge, the researchers established a comprehensive library of antibodies targeting a crucial influenza immune component called hemagglutinin. By integrating existing high-volume synthesis tools with a binding analysis platform, they were able to create and test hundreds of antibodies against various hemagglutinin variants within just a few days.
“This approach allows us to evaluate thousands of antibody-antigen interactions quickly,” Wu explained. “It not only accelerates our research but also reduces costs by 80-90% for materials and supplies.”
The oPool+ display has already enabled the researchers to identify shared characteristics among antibodies that bind to hemagglutinin, a key area of focus in influenza vaccination research. Ouyang highlighted the importance of finding common antibody features across different individuals, stating, “This is crucial because we want a vaccine that works for everyone.”
Moving forward, the research team plans to expand the capabilities of the oPool+ display to accommodate thousands, or even tens of thousands, of antibodies. This advancement could facilitate the characterization of antibodies against a wide range of pathogens, including viruses and bacteria, as well as cancer.
Ouyang pointed out the platform’s potential in responding to future health crises, saying, “If another mysterious pathogen emerges, we could quickly identify targets and characterize antibody responses against it.”
Additionally, the researchers aim to utilize the oPool+ display to validate and refine artificial intelligence models that predict antibody structures based on target antigens. “We could create an AI model that generates many predictions, but we need a systematic way to validate these results,” Ouyang noted. “Using oPool+, we can validate predictions in real time and continuously improve the AI model.”
This research is funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the Searle Scholars Program, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Emerging Pathogens Initiative. The advancements made by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign team could significantly impact the speed and effectiveness of future antibody-based therapies, marking a vital step forward in medical research.
