BME 280B Seminar: Nature’s Miniature Masterpieces – Nanobodies as Small but Mighty Antibodies for the next Pandemic

Presenter: Katja Hanack, Founder and CEO, New/Era/Mabs

Description: Nanobodies combine remarkable simplicity with surprising power. Their small size allows them to reach targets that remain inaccessible to conventional antibodies, while maintaining high specificity and stability. Their compact architecture allows them to access targets that conventional antibodies cannot reach, yet they preserve the specificity and power that make antibody therapeutics so transformative. In this talk I will introduce the science behind selma, a cell based discovery platform developed over more than a decade to rapidly identify high quality antibodies and nanobodies. I will explore why these tiny binders matter, how they differ from classical antibodies, and what their unique biology enables for diagnostics and therapeutics.

The presentation will conclude with my current project on immune infrastructure and how pre validated nanobody archives can shift the pandemic response from a reactive model to proactive preparedness for future outbreaks.

Bio: Katja Hanack, PhD, MBA, is the Founder and CEO of new/era/mabs and a leading expert in antibody discovery for diagnostic and therapeutic applications, with a particular focus on nanobody technologies. With more than 20 years of experience, she has developed pioneering platforms that enable the efficient generation and selection of next-generation monoclonal antibodies and nanobodies. She holds a Biology degree from Humboldt University of Berlin and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Potsdam. As a former Professor of Biochemistry and Biology at the University of Potsdam, she built and led a research group of 25 scientists, secured over €16 million in external funding, and authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications. Since 2017, Dr. Hanack has contributed to translational innovation as an industrial advisor for SPARK Stanford and SPARK Berlin, supporting academic teams in bringing biomedical discoveries to patients.

Hosted by: Professor Rebecca Dubois, BME Department