Silos to Synergy, AI-Driven Collaboration for a New Era of Pandemic Preparedness

Prof. Olinger highlights the importance of collaboration and breaking down silos in pandemic preparedness, drawing lessons from COVID-19. They provide an overview of the Galveston National Lab’s advanced BSL3/BSL4 infrastructure and its role in preclinical research, training, and developing vaccines and therapeutics. The talk also explores the transformative potential of AI—especially agentic AI—in computational antigen design, drug discovery, and precision medicine, while emphasizing the current limitations and the ongoing need for animal models. Real-world examples, including nanobody development for SARS-CoV-2, illustrate how AI can accelerate research while maintaining safety and efficacy.