Ploegh describes how his lab takes advantage of the unique properties of antibodies from the Camelidae family (alpacas, llamas, camels, etc). In addition to traditional antibodies, these animals naturally make small, heavy-chain only antibodies (nanobodies). These molecules can be isolated, amplified in bacteria, and engineered for new applications. As well as using nanobodies to target viruses and inflammasomes, Ploegh explains how his lab uses labelled nanobodies for non-invasive, live imaging of cancer tumors in mice. These technologies have exciting implications in basic and biomedical studies.
View the full talk with additional resources on our website
The Importance of Antibody Diversity
Dr. Ploegh describes how antibody diversity lets us resist the multitude of infectious agents we encounter every day. He also explains how camelid antibody fragments are changing medicine. (Talk recorded in July 2017)
- Part 1: Immunology: The Basics of Antibody DiversityAudience:
- Student
- Researcher
- Educators
- Educators of H. School / Intro Undergrad
- Educators of Adv. Undergrad / Grad
Duration: 00:38:51 - Part 2: Unusual Antibody Fragments: The Camelid NanobodiesAudience:
- Researcher
- Educators of Adv. Undergrad / Grad
Duration: 00:34:41