Flanders Institute of Biotechnology — Syphilis Vaccine Research

[Human Health and Wellbeing] Open Philanthropy awarded €725,300 ($731,828 at the time of conversion) to the Flanders Institute of Biotechnology to support Anastassia Vorobieva’s research on developing a vaccine for syphilis. Vorobieva is participating in a collaborative project with David Baker, Neil King, and Lorenzo Giacani at the University of Washington, as well as Kelly Hawley and Melissa Caimano at the University of Connecticut Health Center. (See “Related Items” below.) The project will use recent advances in machine learning to carry out synthetic protein design, leveraging Baker and King’s earlier research. Proteins from the pathogen have been redesigned to facilitate tests of their utility as potential components of a future syphilis vaccine. This falls within our focus area of scientific research, specifically within our interest in advancing human health and wellbeing.