November 18, 2025 | 10:00AM EST
In this webinar, you will learn:
- Explore how REpAb can sequence antibodies from the plasma of a naturally exposed human, identifying functional antibodies in circulation.
- Review study findings showing antibodies with broad inhibitory activity against diverse malaria variants, validated through structural and functional analysis.
- Learn how REpAb can be applied to study and identify protective antibodies against infectious diseases.
Malaria Antibody Discovery
Immunity to severe malaria develops after repeated exposure, as the body produces antibodies that block interactions between the parasite and human endothelial receptors. Identifying these inhibitory antibodies is critical for understanding natural protection and developing new interventions.
In earlier work, researchers at the University of Copenhagen isolated IgG pools with broad binding-inhibitory activity from Tanzanian children’s plasma using affinity purification with a peptide-spanning approach. Traditional efforts to identify human monoclonal antibodies, however, have largely relied on memory B cells or plasmablasts, limiting direct analysis of the circulating antibody repertoire.
To overcome these challenges, the REpAb® antibody discovery platform was used to sequence antibodies from the plasma of a 9-year-old child with prior malaria exposure. Unlike B cell–based methods, REpAb captures functional antibodies circulating in blood, bypassing challenges with fragile cells and directly accessing antibodies involved in protection.
Using a combined workflow of mass spectrometry–based sequencing and next-generation sequencing (NGS), antibodies were identified with broad inhibitory activity against diverse malaria protein variants, confirmed through structural and functional analyses.
This collaborative study, published in PNAS, with the University of Copenhagen, The Scripps Research Institute, and the National Institute for Medical Research in Tanzania demonstrates REpAb’s ability to mine protective antibodies from natural immune responses, opening new avenues for infectious disease research and therapeutic discovery.
Speaker Bios
Thomas Lavstsen, PhD
Principal Investigator at the Centre for Translational Medicine and Parasitology; University of Copenhagen.
Thomas Lavstsen’s research has focused on the molecular mechanisms of Plasmodium falciparum virulence and acquired immunity. His group investigates the PfEMP1 family of surface antigens that mediate severe malaria by binding host endothelial receptors, and the development of antibodies that neutralize these interactions. Lavstsen combines approaches of clinical immunology, structural biology, and high-throughput antibody discovery to identify and characterize broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) targeting PfEMP1. His recent work (Reyes et al., Nature 2024; Turner et al., PNAS 2025) revealed molecular mechanisms of antibody-mediated protection against severe malaria and which provides a roadmap for rational PfEMP1-based vaccine design.
Teresa Nunez de Villavicencio Diaz, PhD
Senior Scientist, Polyclonal Antibody Sequencing; Rapid Novor
Teresa obtained her PhD in Biochemistry at the University of Western Ontario following the completion of a Master’s degree in Biotechnology. With 8+ years of experience, she approaches the challenges of polyclonal antibody sequencing through collaboration by leveraging her technical skills in Proteomics and Bioinformatics.