overview
What is EVEscape?
EVEscape is an AI tool developed by researchers at Harvard Medical School and the University of Oxford that enables researchers, vaccine developers, therapeutic designers, public health organizations, and the viral surveillance community to predict the likelihood of antibody escape for viral mutations. It aids in anticipating new viral variants before their emergence, informing the development of more effective vaccines and therapies. The tool forecasts the likelihood of viral antibody escape by combining a deep-learning model of evolutionary viral sequences with detailed biological and structural information about the virus. It leverages extensive historical viral sequence data and simulates viral protein evolution to predict potential mutation trajectories under immune pressure. EVEscape is suitable for both early-stage virus outbreaks and continuous assessment of novel variants, as it does not rely on real-time virus information or the availability of relevant antibodies. Its ability to effectively capture pivotal mutations extends to less-studied viruses with pandemic potential, such as Lassa and Nipah viruses, alongside more common ones like HIV and influenza.