StarTalk Radio The Omicron Variant with President of Regeneron, George Yancopoulos
Dec 7, 2021
George Yancopoulos, President and chief scientist of Regeneron, shares his expertise on the Omicron variant of COVID-19. He discusses the distinction between vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, highlighting the critical role of these treatments in reducing hospitalization rates. The conversation delves into innovative biomedical research, including genetically modified mice for better immune response studies. Yancopoulos also humorously explains the Greek naming conventions for variants and addresses the challenges posed by Omicron, especially for unvaccinated individuals.
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Magic Mice and Ebola Cure
- Regeneron developed "magic mice" with human immune systems to test antibody treatments.
- This method, inspired by the film "I Am Legend," led to an Ebola cure and informs their COVID-19 work.
Cat Allergy Cure
- Yancopoulos's team made mice allergic to cats, then used them to develop a cat allergy cure for humans.
- This demonstrates the versatility of their mouse model.
Natural HIV Immunity
- Natural immunity to HIV can arise from missing the receptor or producing broadly neutralizing antibodies.
- Both mechanisms are being explored for HIV treatments.