Keeping Pace with Virus Evolution

Protein engineering is a valuable tool used by molecular biologists to build proteins with specific functions. Scientists have implemented this technique for various applications – from effective treatments for rheumatoid arthritis to cat food that decreases human allergic reactions to cats. In this episode of Science Speaks: Conversations on Health, Vicky Edkins from the Basel Research Centre for Child Health talks to Dr Beichen Gao, Data Scientist at EngImmune Therapeutics, and Lester Fry, PhD Student at ETH Zurich. They discuss the basics of protein engineering, its applications to COVID-19 and beyond, and the emerging role of machine learning in this field.

Download the full episode transcript here.

Learn more about the BRCCH-funded project “Identification, Characterisation, and Optimisation of High-Affinity Antibodies Against SARS-CoV2” here.

The Basel Research Centre for Child Health (BRCCH) aims to drive outstanding and innovative paediatric research that can be translated into a clinical or user setting to improve the health and well-being of children and adolescents worldwide. The BRCCH is generously funded by Fondation Botnar and operates in collaboration with its partner institutions ­–the University of Basel, ETH Zurich, the University Children’s Hospital Basel and the Swiss Public and Tropical Health Institute.

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Podcast editing by Sebastian Schell at the University of Basel New Media Centre
Theme music by Aleksey Chistilin (Lexin_Music)