Viral Predictor for mRNA Evolution (VPRE)

COVID-19 Research Area(s): Diagnostics, Genomics & Transmission Dynamics, Vaccines & Treatments

VPRE is an open-source software that aims to predict SARS-CoV-2 spike protein sequences that will likely evolve in the future to support pre-emptive vaccine design. We leverage a deep learning model to extract evolutionary patterns and predict the most virulent and infectious strains. In parallel, we will implement a statistical model and computationally model of the interaction between the predicted spike proteins and the human receptor ACE2 to validate the predictions. The project will support early vaccine development and informing preemptive, evidence-based decisions when managing highly infectious diseases of the magnitude of COVID-19. More about our project can be found on our website https://virosight.ca