Center for Antibody Technologies

We specialize in antibody discovery, protein engineering, synthetic biology, and digital biotechnology and work with a multitude of protein scaffolds. These include human monoclonal antibodies, nanobodies, and other binding proteins that we utilize as precision molecules to combat and diagnose diseases, engineer microbiomes, and solve challenges within industrial biotechnology.

We believe that science should be conducted for the benefit of society. To achieve this, our research focuses both on scientific and technological insight, as well as translational aspects and practical applications. Moreover, we actively engage in innovation and entrepreneurship, and have successfully spun out several biotech companies.

On the technology side, the center focuses on developing monoclonal antibodies and nanobodies with special binding properties, oligoclonal antibody and nanobody mixtures and designer antigens. These antibodies and nanobodies can be used for broad neutralization of multiple targets at low doses, or selective targeting of critical key factors involved in disease and pathogenesis. Designer antigens, on the other hand, can be used for novel vaccine applications and for specialized antibody discovery.

Our expertise in these fields allows us to design advanced biotherapeutics, diagnostic tools, and molecules for feed, food, and biocontrol purposes. We see antibodies and antigens as precision engineering tools that can be used to design molecules that target specific anatomical sites, that are robust under harsh conditions, or that can be manufactured at ultra-low cost. 

Why now?
Drug and antibiotic resistance, food security, and globally spreading pathogens are key societal challenges that will affect our infrastructure and pose great risks to human health and well-being for many decades to come. 

Why us?
Our work has already led to critical advances in antivenom research, ultra-low-cost binding proteins, and new methodologies for antibody discovery. We aim to enable other researchers to seamlessly integrate our approaches in their own discovery and engineering pipelines.

Why here? 
Located within the Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine at the Technical University of Denmark, the center is at the intersection between life science, data analysis, and bioengineering. We are an integral part of a highly collaborative department devoted to making discoveries and translating them into technology and applications.