The University of Oxford has launched a new research programme in partnership with the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) to advance vaccine development using artificial intelligence. The initiative, called CoI-AI (Correlates of Immunity-Artificial Intelligence), will be led by the Oxford Vaccine Group and aims to improve understanding of how the immune system fights infections and how vaccines offer protection.
CoI-AI will focus on studying immune responses to bacteria that cause serious illnesses and contribute to antibiotic resistance, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and E. coli. These pathogens have been difficult targets for traditional vaccines. Researchers plan to use human challenge models—where volunteers are safely exposed to bacteria under controlled conditions—and combine this approach with modern immunology and AI tools.
Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, Director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said: "This programme addresses one of the most urgent problems in infectious disease by helping us to understand immunity more deeply to develop innovative vaccines against deadly diseases that have so far evaded our attempts at prevention. By combining advanced immunology with artificial intelligence, and using human challenge models to study diseases, CoI-AI will provide the tools we need to tackle serious infections and reduce the growing threat of antibiotic resistance. This is a new frontier in vaccine science."
Professor Daniela Ferreira, Deputy Director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, added: "This programme will give us completely new tools to study how vaccines work at both a cellular and system-wide level, by studying infections in real time, in people, and using smart immunology tools and data to find the answers. This will open up whole new avenues to vaccine design as we improve our understanding of infection and immunity."
Larry Ellison, Chairman of EIT, stated: "Researchers in the CoI-AI programme will use Artificial Intelligence models developed at EIT to identify and better understand the immune responses that predict protection. This vaccine development programme combines Oxford’s leadership in immunology and human challenge models with cutting-edge AI, laying the groundwork for a new era of vaccine discovery - one that is faster, smarter, and better able to respond to infectious disease outbreaks throughout the world."
Professor Irene Tracey, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford commented: "This is a major step forward in our strategic alliance with the Ellison Institute. Together, we’re combining Oxford’s strengths in vaccine science with EIT’s bold vision to tackle some of the toughest problems in global health. This is about drawing more talent and capacity to the Oxford ecosystem to turn scientific challenges into real solutions for the world."
Oxford's collaboration with EIT follows their announcement from December 2024 establishing a long-term strategic alliance focused on addressing major global challenges through scientific innovation.
EIT integrates advanced research capabilities across fields such as generative biology, clinical medicine, plant science, sustainable energy policy while leveraging substantial computing resources provided by Oracle. The institute also supports future scientists through its Scholars programme.
The Oxford Vaccine Group operates within Oxford’s Department of Paediatrics at its Medical Sciences Division.