/AI14h ago

Essay Explores Cancer Vaccine Development and Machine Learning Role

11123249111.5K
#1650Anshul Kundaje
owl
Original postAnshul Kundaje#1650
owl@owl_posting

How to build a cancer vaccine, and whether they will work this time

https://www.owlposting.com/p/how-to-build-a-cancer-vaccine-and

for the past forty years, the medical field has attempted to create a 'cancer vaccine'. by and large, this effort has not been particularly successful. but things seem different this time around. there is, if you pay attention, a dizzying amount of optimism in the air regarding these potential miracle drugs. is it true? have we arrived? are cancer vaccines just over the horizon?

maybe! in this 8.3k word essay, i walk through the immunological theory behind cancer vaccines, the variants they come in, the (many) confusing aspects behind their few clinical successes, how machine-learning plays a role in their creation, and what lies ahead in their development

it's a very complicated subject, and i am deeply grateful to @iskander and @BenjaminGVincen for patiently answering my questions over the subject!

7:57 AM · Jun 8, 2026 · 11.5K Views
Sentiment

Positive users praised the essay on cancer vaccine science, history, and machine learning's role, while negative users argued such vaccines should be abandoned because they won't work in therapeutic settings.

Pos
66.7%
Neg
33.3%
6 comments with sentiment.
Cluster Engagement
Posts from X
Most Activity
Most Activity
VIEWS153
Charlie Petty@incredutility

@owl_posting another one - you are prolific!

13hViews 153Likes 2
LIKES3
corrin@jontycorrin

@owl_posting Abhi you should get @mattgdean03 on the pod

14hViews 49Likes 3
REPLIES1
Dre@Dremontjones

@owl_posting I mean, if there are monoclonal antibodies and engineered T cells that treat cancer, a vaccine should theoretically work…though it would depend on each individual’s immune system response to the vaccine.

9hViews 32
tycomp (Train Your Computer)@train_computer

@owl_posting Nice article! Most young people knew the importance of MHCI for CD8 responses in the 90s and also that mutations should be the target. Personally designed vectors tho, were a pipe dream. My guess is they were just hoping for a cell response, working w what they had.

10hViews 51Likes 2
Andrew Rodriguez@andrewjrod

@jontycorrin @owl_posting @mattgdean03 Seconded!

13hViews 21Likes 2
Ryan Bailey@BioExplorr

@owl_posting @alexschbrt Awesome 👏

9hViews 32Likes 1
tycomp (Train Your Computer)@train_computer

@owl_posting They likely expected the QuilA in AS15 to stimulate a CD8 response, which that adjuvant is known to do. It is known to present on MHCI. It's a good adjuvant for stimulating both humoral and cellular, but stimulating both may not be ideal.

10hViews 12Likes 1
El perri@DogeElperrit

@owl_posting They will not work in a therapeutic set up because they don’t change the solid tumor TME

9hViews 15
Dre@Dremontjones

@owl_posting The track record of cancer vaccines, on the other hand, suggest they should be abandoned

9hViews 9