On AIRR 21: Cracking the TCR-epitope code with Hannah Meyer, Kilian Schober, and Hashem Koohy
Recorded live at the 4th Antwerp TCR meeting, this special panel episode brings together three leading experts in T-cell receptor (TCR) biology and computational immunology to explore one of the field's most challenging questions: Can we predict which epitopes a given TCR recognizes, and what would that unlock for medicine?
Joining the discussion are:
Dr. Hannah Meyer (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), whose research focuses on thymic selection and the mechanisms that shape a safe and functional T-cell repertoire.
Prof. Kilian Schober (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg), a physician-scientist studying antigen-specific T-cell responses in infection, autoimmunity, and cancer.
Prof. Hashem Koohy (University of Oxford), who applies computational and machine learning approaches to uncover the principles governing T-cell antigen recognition.
Together, they discuss why TCR–epitope prediction remains one of immunology's grand challenges, despite rapid advances in AI and structural biology.
Key topics covered include:
Why predicting TCR specificity is uniquely difficult, particularly because of HLA/MHC diversity
Diagnostic value of epitope-TCR prediction across infectious disease, autoimmunity, and cancer
How cross-reactivity links infectious disease, autoimmunity, and cancer immunology
Why the biggest obstacle may be a lack of data rather than a lack of algorithms
The difference between predicting and truly decoding TCR–epitope recognition
New experimental and computational approaches
What a future blood-test-based diagnostic platform might look like, and what it will take to get there
Comments are welcome to the inbox of onairr@airr-community.org or on social media under the tag #onAIRR. Further information can be found here: https://www.antibodysociety.org/the-airr-community/airr-c-podcast.
The episode is hosted by Dr. Ulrik Stervbo and Dr. Sofie Gielis.
Announcements and links
Hannah Meyer https://meyer-lab-cshl.github.io/
Kilian Schober https://sites.google.com/view/schoberlab
Hashem Koohy https://www.rdm.ox.ac.uk/research/koohy-group-machine-learning-and-integrative-approaches-in-immunology
Other:
Antwerp TCR meeting https://www.uantwerpen.be/en/projects/audacis/antwerp-tcr-meeting/
Adaptive Immune Receptor Repertoire Community (AIRR-C) https://www.airr-community.org
The Antibody Society (TAbS) https://www.antibodysociety.org
AIRR-C Seminar Series https://www.antibodysociety.org/the-airr-community/airr-community-seminar-series/
18 Feb 2026
On AIRR 20: Adventures in Antibody Discovery with Williamson, Carnahan, and Vogt
In Episode 20 of On AIRR, Dr. Lauren Williamson and Dr. Robert Carnahan, both from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Dr. Matthew Vogt, from the University of North Carolina, share extreme stories of sample collection that reveal how cutting-edge therapeutic antibody development depends as much on donor generosity and complex global logistics as on scientific innovation.
From dramatic efforts to secure the first U.S. donor samples in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, to rescuing lost samples from airport corridors and navigating international politics, these stories highlight the critical timing windows, global coordination, and human collaboration required to develop life-saving therapeutics. Throughout these extraordinary stories runs a thread of human generosity, demonstrating how crisis can bring out the best of human nature.
Comments are welcome to the inbox of onairr@airr-community.org or on social media under the tag #onAIRR. Further information can be found here: https://www.antibodysociety.org/the-airr-community/airr-c-podcast.
The episode is hosted by Dr. Ulrik Stervbo and Dr. Zhaoqing Ding.
Announcements and links
Lauren Williamson https://www.vumc.org/crowe-lab/person/lauren-williamson-phd
Robert Carnahan https://www.vumc.org/crowe-lab/person/robert-carnahan-phd
Matthew Vogt https://www.vogtviruslab.com
Other:
ReVAMPP https://revampp.org
Adaptive Immune Receptor Repertoire Community (AIRR-C) https://www.airr-community.org
The Antibody Society (TAbS) https://www.antibodysociety.org
AIRR-C Seminar Series: https://www.antibodysociety.org/the-airr-community/airr-community-seminar-series/
5 Sept 2025
On AIRR 19: Pandemic preparedness through antibody discovery with Williamson, Carnahan, and Vogt.
Episode 19 of onAIRR features a lively and insightful conversation with three outstanding scientists committed to advancing pandemic preparedness. Dr. Lauren Williamson and Dr. Robert Carnahan, both from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Dr. Matthew Vogt, from the University of North Carolina, share their passion for viral immunology and the art of discovering and developing therapeutic antibodies.
onAIRR’s guests provide a behind-the-scenes look at how collaborative research is shaping the future of global health. They introduce the Research and Development of Vaccines and Monoclonal Antibodies for Pandemic Preparedness (ReVAMPP) research network, a major NIH-funded initiative aimed at strengthening pandemic readiness. The conversation explores the use of prototype pathogen approaches to identifying broadly neutralizing antibodies against high-priority viral families, the challenges of balancing breadth versus potency in therapeutic antibodies, and innovative screening methodologies that could transform our ability to respond to future pandemics.
Comments are welcome to the inbox of onairr@airr-community.org or on social media under the tag #onAIRR. Further information can be found here: https://www.antibodysociety.org/the-airr-community/airr-c-podcast.
The episode is hosted by Dr. Ulrik Stervbo and Dr. Zhaoqing Ding.
Announcements and links
Lauren Williamson https://www.vumc.org/crowe-lab/person/lauren-williamson-phd
Robert Carnahan https://www.vumc.org/crowe-lab/person/robert-carnahan-phd
Matthew Vogt https://www.vogtviruslab.com
ReVAMPP https://revampp.org
ReVAMPP https://www.niaid.nih.gov/news-events/nih-awards-establish-pandemic-preparedness-research-network
"Prototype Pathogen Approach for Vaccine and Monoclonal Antibody Development: A Critical Component of the NIAID Plan for Pandemic Preparedness” https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiac296
Adaptive Immune Receptor Repertoire Community (AIRR-C) https://www.airr-community.org
The Antibody Society (TAbS) https://www.antibodysociety.org
AIRR-C Seminar Series https://www.antibodysociety.org/the-airr-community/airr-community-seminar-series
Reach and audience
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 19 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
25
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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