The researchers say this is the first time a key component of a vaccine has been designed entirely by AI and then tested in humans.
The vaccine is intended to train the body to recognize and fight all types of coronaviruses, including different variants of COVID‑19 and other animal viruses that could potentially infect humans and trigger future pandemics.
Although the research is still in its early stages, scientists say it could change how the world prepares for outbreaks. The team has also begun working on vaccines that could target influenza, H5N1 bird flu, and Ebola.
Traditionally, vaccines are designed based on known virus strains. The challenge is that many viruses mutate quickly, making existing vaccines less effective or requiring frequent updates. This is why COVID‑19 and flu vaccines often need revisions over time.
Professor Jonathan Heeney of the University of Cambridge said researchers are often “chasing viruses rather than anticipating them.” He said their goal is to create vaccines that prepare the body before a new outbreak reaches humans.
To develop the vaccine, the team used genetic information from different coronaviruses collected through virus surveillance and outbreak-prevention programs.
The data were fed into an AI system, which analyzed it and created what researchers called a “super-antigen.” This is the vaccine component designed to train the immune system to recognize and fight a broad family of viruses, even if they mutate or if a new virus jumps from animals to humans.
An antigen is the part of a vaccine that teaches the immune system what to attack. Once the body learns to recognize it, it can identify and respond to the virus more quickly in the future.
The vaccine has already been tested in 39 people in an early-stage trial focused on safety. A larger trial involving about 200 participants is being prepared to better understand how the vaccine stimulates immune protection.
