Biomedical science and research are today redefining the boundaries of human health and disease by blending cutting-edge technologies with deep biological insights. While unlocking the intricacies of complex biological systems, they offer transformative approaches to understanding, diagnosing, and treating illnesses. From precision medicine to regenerative therapies, biomedical innovations are paving the way for a future where healthcare is more personalized, effective, and accessible.
Immunology, the sphere of action at the National Institute of Immunology, is an expansive field within biomedical sciences, intersecting with numerous areas such as infection and infectious diseases to vaccinations and the treatment and management of chronic conditions like diabetes, asthma, allergies, and cancer. Emerging research shows the association of immune responses with the development of disorders not traditionally associated with immunology like cardiovascular and neurodegenerative. Most importantly, immunology is foundational to driving innovations like antibody therapies, cellular treatments, small-molecule drugs, vaccines, and therapeutic biomolecules in modern medicine.
Current Research Landscape
Over the years, immunological research has transcended basic science at the institute, catalyzing transformative advances in vaccine development, disease prevention, and therapeutic interventions. The institute’s Human Immunology Program exemplifies this change uncovering immune dynamics at the population level, offering new pathways for vaccine design and treatment strategies. The institute’s research on cancer biology, for instance, highlights the molecular intricacies of tumor progression and its resistance mechanisms, leading to novel therapeutic avenues. Equally transformative are its efforts in infectious disease research, notably in tuberculosis and malaria. The breakthroughs in understanding the cellular machinery of the malaria parasite and designing a malaria vaccine promise to change the current treatment paradigm. Indian TB Genome Sequencing Consortium (InTGS), a multi-institutional project coordinated by NII, leverages cutting-edge clinical genomics and AI-driven analytics to address the problem of drug-resistant tuberculosis.
NII is well equipped with expertise and infrastructure to address emerging health crises with agility. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, NII has been at the forefront of India’s response. The contributions of NII span from screening and genomic surveillance to vaccine research. When vaccines for COVID-19 were rolled out, the studies of NII on their immunological effectiveness and breadth of protection in real-world settings guided policy decisions of the country. The “Human Immune Monitoring and T-cell Immunoassay Platform” of NII was instrumental in the study of the effectiveness of Bharat Biotech’s Intranasal COVID-19 vaccine “INCOVACC”. A multicentric collaborative study, anchored at NII, provided the first evidence of the traits of immune memory generated in response to Covaxin (BBV152).
Meanwhile, the institute’s research on neurodegenerative diseases, aging, metabolic dysregulation, and nutrition reveals a forward-looking vision that aims at addressing emerging global health challenges. And now, the integration of NII into the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC) tremendously amplifies NII’s capability to engage with frontier science through collaborative and multidisciplinary research.
The Way Forward
Today, the integration of cutting-edge technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI) and single-cell transcriptomics, is revolutionizing immunology, redefining its potential in diagnostics, therapeutics, and precision medicine.
Single-cell transcriptomics offers an unprecedented resolution to study the intricate immune system, allowing researchers to explore the heterogeneity within immune cell populations. By analyzing gene expression in individual cells, scientists can uncover rare immune cell types, transient states, and interactions that govern health and disease. This high-resolution data has immense potential, yet its scale and complexity pose challenges. Enter AI—a transformative force capable of decoding the vast datasets generated by single-cell multi-omics studies.
AI-driven data science is accelerating discoveries in immunology by identifying biomarkers that can guide therapeutic interventions. Machine learning models, for instance, are being used to predict immune modulation determinants, paving the way for the development of precision biotherapeutics and vaccines. Large language models, a subset of AI, are particularly effective in designing antibodies and therapeutic proteins. AI’s integration into immunological research is not just improving our understanding of the immune system but is also laying the groundwork for the biomanufacturing of next-generation therapeutics.
The applications of AI in immunology extend beyond theoretical exploration. Platforms powered by AI and machine learning are actively aiding in the discovery and engineering of monoclonal antibodies. These technologies streamline the process of selecting high-affinity antibodies, identifying targets, and optimizing their characteristics for clinical use. AI-driven pipelines reduce the need for extensive library construction and iterative testing, significantly cutting down the time required for antibody development. Immunogenicity assays, epitope mapping, and binding affinity studies are now more efficient, thanks to AI-driven tools that integrate computational models with experimental workflows. AI-enabled advances in protein structure prediction are being increasingly used for deciphering the mechanistic basis of disease-associated SNPs and have facilitated the discovery of novel drug targets and candidate drugs. Such advancements hold promise for addressing infectious diseases, cancers, and emerging health threats with unprecedented speed and precision.
Looking ahead, the fusion of AI and immunology promises a paradigm shift in biomedical research. As high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure and cloud-based resources become more accessible, the pace of innovation will only quicken. Institutions like ours are already leveraging these technologies. The “Human Immunology Program”, “InTGS Program” and the “Program on Antibody Engineering” are testament to this. We stand on the brink of a new era in human health—one where diseases are not just treated but anticipated and prevented with precision.
First published in the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council Compendium released on 12 December 2024 at the Annual General Body Meeting.