Immunotechnology

Immunotechnology is an interdisciplinary field that uses advances in engineering, biology, chemistry, and data science to study, interface with, and manipulate the immune system for practical applications. It covers tools, devices, materials, and computational approaches designed to understand immune processes, diagnose immune-related conditions, and create therapies and vaccines.

It includes immunotherapies such as cancer treatments using checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T cells, and monoclonal antibodies, as well as the development of vaccines using traditional platforms and novel platforms like mRNA and DNA vaccines, often delivered with adjuvants or nanocarriers.

Diagnostics and biosensing: immune-based assays (ELISA, western blot, flow cytometry) and rapid tests (lateral flow), point-of-care devices, antibody- or antigen-detection sensors, and aptamer-based biosensors.

Materials and delivery: design of immunomodulatory biomaterials, nanoparticle carriers, adjuvants, and depot formulations to direct immune responses; tissue engineering approaches to vaccines and allergy therapies.

Computation and systems: immune repertoire sequencing, bioinformatics, machine learning to predict immunogenicity and vaccine efficacy, simulations of immune networks, and personalized immunotherapies guided by patient data.

Applications and challenges: healthcare (cancer, infectious diseases, autoimmune conditions), agriculture (plant and animal vaccines), environmental surveillance; challenges include safety, regulatory approval, manufacturing scale, cost, and ethical considerations.