Russia Turns to AI to Develop Dengue Vaccine

Russian scientists are using artificial intelligence to design a vaccine against dengue, a mosquito-borne disease that infects up to 400 million people worldwide each year.

The Kurchatov Institute, Russia’s leading national research center, is developing a vaccine against the dengue virus with the help of artificial intelligence. Dengue fever, which spreads through mosquito bites, remains a major threat in tropical and subtropical countries. According to the World Health Organization, there are between 100 million and 400 million infections annually, and the virus can trigger life-threatening complications.

To speed up the process, scientists are using machine-learning algorithms in tandem with structural biology. Traditional methods of vaccine development would take years and require enormous funding, but AI-driven modeling makes it possible to predict promising candidates much faster and more efficiently.

The Kurchatov Institute is also leveraging digital technologies to explore treatments for other diseases, including Alzheimer’s. Researchers are currently calculating vaccine candidates for African swine fever and emerging strains of coronavirus. At the same time, they are close to creating a new type of vaccine aimed at combating Lyme disease.