Why in the News?
Harvard Scientists have recently used AI to design synthetic proteins that activate T Cells, offering a new path for cancer treatment and vaccine development.
What are T Cells?
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About the Study:
- Used artificial intelligence (AI) to design soluble proteins that activate ‘Notch Signalling’, a key immune pathway.
- These are synthetic molecular activators designed using advanced AI-driven protein design technologies.
- Unlike older lab-only methods, these proteins work inside the body (in vivo) and in lab settings.
- Result: Significant boost in T cell production from human progenitor cells.
What is Notch Signalling?
- A cell-to-cell signalling system that guides cell development.
- Crucial for forming T cells, which fight infections and cancers.
- No reliable therapeutic activator existed earlier.
Key Benefits Offered:
- Mass T Cell Generation: Meets clinical needs for CAR T Cell Therapy.
- Vaccine Support: Boosted Memory T cells in mice, improving long-term immunity.
- Cancer Therapy: Helps fight immune-suppressive tumour environments.
- Scalable & Soluble: Works in humans, not just in lab dishes.
- AI in Medicine: Shows AI’s growing role in designing immune therapies.
| [UPSC 2022] Which one of the following statements best describes the role of B cells and T cells in the human body?
Options: (a) They protect the body from environmental allergens. (b) They alleviate the body’s pain and inflammation. (c) They act as immunosuppressants in the body. (d) They protect the body from the diseases caused by pathogens |
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