Reece, S. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2026

KyDab - a comprehensive database of antibody discovery selection campaigns.

Preclinical antibody discovery relies on progressive screening and down-selection of candidate antibodies from large immune repertoires, yet this critical process is poorly represented in existing public databases. Here we introduce KyDab (Kymouse Antibody Database), a well-curated database of antibody discovery selection data generated using standardized workflows on the Kymouse humanized mouse platform. The current release includes 11 Kymouse platform mice immunisation studies covering 51 immunogens, more than 120,000 paired heavy-light chain sequences, and binding measurements for a selected subset of experimentally characterized clones. By capturing full-funnel selection data with consistent metadata and both positive and negative experimental outcomes, KyDab provides a valuable data resource for the development and evaluation of artificial intelligence models for antibody discovery. KyDab is accessible at https://kydab.naturalantibody.com/, and the database will be continuously updated as new datasets become available.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2020

Using very high-resolution satellite imagery and deep learning to detect and count African elephants in heterogeneous landscapes

O_LISatellites allow large-scale surveys to be conducted in short time periods with repeat surveys possible <24hrs. Very high-resolution satellite imagery has been successfully used to detect and count a number of wildlife species in open, homogeneous landscapes and seascapes where target animals have a strong contrast with their environment. However, no research to date has detected animals in complex heterogeneous environments or detected elephants from space using very high-resolution satellite imagery and deep learning. C_LIO_LIIn this study we apply a Convolution Neural Network (CNN) model to automatically detect and count African elephants in a woodland savanna ecosystem in South Africa. We use WorldView-3 and 4 satellite data - the highest resolution satellite imagery commercially available. We train and test the model on eleven images from 2014-2019. We compare the performance accuracy of the CNN against human accuracy. Additionally, we apply the model on a coarser resolution satellite image (GeoEye-1) captured in Kenya to test if the algorithm can generalise to an elephant population outside of the training area. C_LIO_LIOur results show the CNN performs with high accuracy, comparable to human detection capabilities. The detection accuracy (i.e., F2 score) of the CNN models was 0.78 in heterogeneous areas and 0.73 in homogenous areas. This compares with the detection accuracy of the human labels with an averaged F2 score 0.77 in heterogeneous areas and 0.80 in homogenous areas. The CNN model can generalise to detect elephants in a different geographical location and from a lower resolution satellite. C_LIO_LIOur study demonstrates the feasibility of applying state-of-the-art satellite remote sensing and deep learning technologies for detecting and counting African elephants in heterogeneous landscapes. The study showcases the feasibility of using high resolution satellite imagery as a promising new wildlife surveying technique. Through creation of a customised training dataset and application of a Convolutional Neural Network, we have automated the detection of elephants in satellite imagery with as high accuracy as human detection capabilities. The success of the model to detect elephants outside of the training data site demonstrates the generalisability of the technique. C_LI

ecology↗