Recently, several prestigious prizes and grants have been awarded to our AI&I members. Learn more about these accomplished individuals and their projects in the article below!
AI-based immunogen design grants awarded to Dr. Yoann Aldon (NIH & BMGF grants) and Prof. dr. Rogier Sanders (BMGF grant)
Dr. Yoann Aldon, senior postdoc and project leader at the Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention (MMI) department at Amsterdam UMC, has been awarded two prestigious grants in 2024: a $3.3 million National Institute of Health (NIH) R01 grant and a $3.63 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) (jointly with Prof. Rogier Sanders). These grants will fund groundbreaking research in HIV vaccine development using artificial intelligence (AI)-based protein design approaches.
Dr. Aldon’s research builds on his initiative to bring AI-based protein design to the Amsterdam UMC for immunogen development and to the HIV vaccine field as a whole. During his 10-month postdoc period at the Institute for Protein Design (IPD) in 2022-2023, within Dr. Neil King’s group, Dr. Aldon worked on leveraging protein design tools developed in Prof. David Baker’s lab at IPD for application to complex glycoprotein immunogens like HIV-1 Envelope. This foundation laid the groundwork for obtaining the two AI-based grants funded by the NIH and the BMGF, with a focus on using AI-based protein design methods to design new Env vaccines.
NIH R01 Grant – “Deep learning-based protein design of HIV-1 gp120 core immunogens for CD4 binding site germline targeting”. In February 2024, Dr. Aldon received a $3.3 million NIH R01 grant to advance HIV vaccine research. Collaborating with Dr. Marie Pancera from the Hutch Cancer Institute, the project uses AI to redesign gp120 proteins, a key component of the HIV virus, by removing unwanted immune responses and studying how structural changes influence antibody binding. The goal is to create more effective vaccines targeting the virus's CD4 binding site.
BMGF Grant – “Artificial Intelligence for Designing mRNA-delivered HIV immunogens”. In July 2024, Dr. Aldon, along with Prof. Rogier Sanders from the Amsterdam Institute for Immunology and Infectious Diseases and Dr. Neil King from IPD, was awarded a $3.63 million grant from the BMGF. This funding supports improving a stable HIV protein platform (gp41-free trimer), developed by Dr. Aldon at the IPD, for use in mRNA-based vaccines. The research focuses on creating versatile tools, including nanoparticle delivery systems and enhanced vaccine components, to advance HIV vaccine development.
Together, Dr. Aldon and Prof. Sanders will continue to push the boundaries of HIV vaccine research, using AI to develop next-generation immunogens that may help combat one of the world’s most persistent health challenges.
F.l.t.r.: Dr. Yoann Aldon and Prof. Rogier Sanders
Elena Rampanelli Joins the Amsterdam Young Academy
Elena Rampanelli, a member of the Immunology program at the Amsterdam Institute for Immunology and Infectious Diseases, has earned recognition as a newly selected member of the Amsterdam Young Academy (AYA). This prestigious honor was awarded to ten outstanding candidates from across various faculties at the Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam (UvA) Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam).
Founded in 2018 by Amsterdam members of the Dutch Young Academy, AYA is a dynamic network of promising young scientists committed to breaking disciplinary boundaries. The academy fosters interdisciplinary research, promotes societal dialogue, and shapes science policy. As an independent platform, AYA brings together talented researchers from diverse fields to drive policy innovation, create meaningful societal impact, and bridge the gap between science and society.