AI-engineered intrabodies promise new routes to treat neurodegenerative disorders
Scientists at the University of Essex have used artificial intelligence to redesign antibody fragments that can function inside cells, creating “intrabodies” that target proteins linked to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and motor neurone disease.
Researchers at the University of Essex have created a method to transform ordinary antibodies into minute fragments that remain stable and active inside human cells. By applying AI-driven protein redesign and focusing on electrical charge, they turned 672 antibodies into “intrabodies” capable of attaching to proteins implicated in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s disease and motor neurone disease. The project, funded by the MND Association and directed by Caitlin O'Shea and Gareth Wright, demonstrates a way to repurpose the vast existing antibody repertoire for intracellular targets.
Publication in Nature Communications will be accompanied by free distribution of the new molecules to the scientific community. The MND Association’s chief scientist, Brian Dickie, said the breakthrough could complement gene-therapy strategies to hit specific neuronal proteins. This development may accelerate both basic research and the search for disease-modifying treatments for disorders affecting millions worldwide.
Why it matters
It introduces a scalable way to target disease-causing proteins inside cells, opening new therapeutic avenues for major neurodegenerative illnesses.
In this story
