Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 43:26 — 35.2MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | Blubrry | Podcast Index | TuneIn | RSS | More

Antibody Expert, Structural bioinformatician specializing in antibodies and mutations, Experienced expert witness, Antibody consultant.

See the separate text interview we did as well by clicking here.

Check out Andrew’s Website here

Check out Andrews Linkedin Page

About Andrew

“I am a Bioinformatician / Computational Biologist specializing in antibodies and the effects of mutations on protein structure and function. During my PhD, I co-developed one of the first automated protein modelling programs for modelling antibodies which was commercialized by Oxford Molecular as ‘AbM’. I have maintained my interest in antibodies ever since and have published widely on this topic. We have developed various tools for dealing with antibody sequence and structure including the abYsis web-based analysis platform (www.abysis.org). I have helped a number of labs and companies with antibody humanization and acted as an Expert Witness in numerous patent disputes related to antibodies and general bioinformatics. I am also an adviser to the WHO-INN on the description and annotation of antibody-based drugs and naming of biologics.

My other main interest is in the effects of mutations on protein structure and predicting whether a mutation will be pathogenic using machine learning. We have developed specialized predictors for specific phenotype prediction in individual proteins as well as a general predictor.

We also develop tools for use by the structural bioinformatics community, most of which are available as open source. In the past I have also done contract scientific programming for the National Grid Company and Bradwell Nuclear Power Station.

I teach general biochemistry topics as well as the structure of antibodies and bioinformatics at various levels from introductory first-year undergraduate lectures to masters and specialist training level.” Source

Hyperlinked Timestamped Show Notes

1. [ 01:20 ] The start of a discussion on what makes antibodies beautiful and key characteristics.
2. [ 04:40 ] What made him choose antibodies as his vocation, and the roles/versatility of antibodies.
3. [ 08:30 ] What his focus is.
4. [ 09:30 ] How he thinks about antibodies, evolution, and how clever they are.
5. [ 13:25 ] How hard it is to determine different factors in antibody loops, how that’s surprising, and how machine learning can help.
6. [ 17:30 ] How antibodies and DNA remind him of computer code or computer analogies.
7. [ 23:25 ] How machine learning specifically comes into his work with antibodies (free programs, process, etc).
8. [ 24:55 ] He went to Oxford, so is it really different than other campuses or does it just have a great brand awareness. He gets into what’s special about Oxford, and what he did while he was there.
9. [ 29:45 ] His work as an expert witness and antibody humanization explained (i.e. benefits, limitations, issues, work arounds, etc).
10. [ 41:50 ] Good ways to follow up with Andrew. Learn more, and find software at his website.