/Tech13h ago

Essay Explores Cancer Vaccine Development and Machine Learning Role

11120238811.1K

#1773

Original post

Anshul Kundaje

owl@owl_posting#1773inTech

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 · 11.1K Views

/Tech13h ago

Essay Explores Cancer Vaccine Development and Machine Learning Role

11120238811.1K

#1773

Original post

Anshul Kundaje

owl@owl_posting#1773inTech

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

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 · 11.1K Views

Sentiment

Some users praise an essay on cancer vaccine science, history, and machine learning applications as nice or awesome, while others criticize such vaccines for their poor track record and ineffectiveness against solid tumors.

Pos

66.7%

Neg

33.3%

6 comments with sentiment.

Cluster Engagement

Posts from X

Most Activity

Charlie Petty@incredutility

@owl_posting another one - you are prolific!

12h1532

LIKES3

corrin@jontycorrin

@owl_posting Abhi you should get @mattgdean03 on the pod

13h493

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.

8h32

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.

9h512

Andrew Rodriguez@andrewjrod

@jontycorrin @owl_posting @mattgdean03 Seconded!

12h212

Ryan Bailey@BioExplorr

@owl_posting @alexschbrt Awesome 👏

8h321

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.

9h121

El perri@DogeElperrit

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

7h15

Dre@Dremontjones

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

8h9