When you catch a cold, your immune system jumps into action. Antibodies — your body’s natural defenders — block and neutralize the virus, marking the invader for destruction by other immune cells.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are lab-made proteins that work in a similar way. They’re designed to target harmful cells with precision, making them powerful tools in treating illnesses such as the flu, cancer, autoimmune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis and even allergic reactions. But creating these therapies is complex and costly.

A research team led by the University of Delaware’s Kelvin Lee is working to change that. Lee, the Gore Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at UD, has received $10.5 million in funding through the Gates Grand Challenges Program aimed at significantly lowering the cost of manufacturing these vital treatments.

The project will be carried out by a collaboration of industry and academic partners, including many from the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL). Lee serves as director of NIIMBL, a public-private partnership of more than 200 member organizations — including industry, academia and government — working to accelerate biopharmaceutical innovation and develop a skilled workforce for the industry. Headquartered on UD’s Science, Technology and Advanced Research (STAR) Campus, NIIMBL is part of Manufacturing USA, a diverse network of 18 federally sponsored manufacturing innovation institutes.