Published by: Francen Anne Perez
Date Published: August 15, 2025
Time Published: 11:26 AM
Scientists from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) developed a method to eliminate cancer cells through Artificial Intelligence (AI), where it creates custom proteins that turn immune cells into cancer-killing agents.
Published in the journal Science on July 24, this discovery extremely shortened the process of finding effective molecules for cancer treatment from a few years to a few weeks.
"We are essentially creating a new set of eyes for the immune system," says Timothy P. Jenkins, associate professor at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and last author of the study.
Current methods for immunotherapy rely on identifying suitable T-cell receptors from patients or donors, which is a slow and complex process.
On the contrary, the AI platform rapidly generates synthetic proteins known as minibinders, which act as homing devices for immune cells.
The researchers conducted an experiment on the strength of the AI platform on a cancer target, NY-ESO-1, which is often seen in a wide range of cancers.
The team succeeded in designing a minibinder that tightly bounds to the NY-ESO-1 pMHC molecules, resulting in a new cell product named 'IMPAC-T' cells.
When tested in the lab, the modified immune cells successfully eliminated the cancer cells in vitro.
"It was incredibly exciting to take these minibinders, which were created entirely on a computer, and see them work so effectively in the laboratory," says postdoc Kristoffer Haurum Johansen, co-author of the study and researcher at DTU.
Built-in safety checks were also done using virtual screening using AI, reducing the risk of targeting healthy cells before experiments were carried out.
"Precision in cancer treatment is crucial. By predicting and ruling out cross-reactions already in the design phase, we were able to reduce the risk associated with the designed proteins and increase the likelihood of designing a safe and effective therapy," says Sine Reker Hadrup, DTU professor and co-author of the study.
The study opens new possibilities for rapid and customized immunotherapies, potentially revolutionizing how cancer is treated in the near future.
This breakthrough, published in the journal Science, was announced on July 24.
References:
[1] Global Desk. (2025, July 25). AI is being used to design custom proteins that help immune cells find and kill cancer. The Economic Times. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/ai-is-being-used-to-design-custom-proteins-that-help-immune-cells-find-and-kill-cancer/articleshow/122891804.cms?
[2] Technical University of Denmark. (2025, July 25). AI turns immune cells into precision cancer killers—in just weeks. ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250724232416.htm
[3] Luis, A. (2025, July 25). An AI-Generated Protein Helps T Cells Kill Cancer. The Scientist. https://www.the-scientist.com/an-ai-generated-protein-helps-t-cells-kill-
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