Air Street Press AI-first biology: five years on
Jan 19, 2025
The discussion reflects on the transformative impact of AI in biology since 2019. Key advancements, like Nobel-winning contributions to protein prediction, underscore AI's potential amidst skepticism about drug discovery. The conversation then shifts to groundbreaking innovations in biotechnology, particularly in protein therapeutics and gene editing, spotlighting AlphaFold3 and ESM models. These developments promise to revolutionize disease research and open new avenues for scientific exploration.
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AI-First Biology
- AI-first biology is displacing traditional trial-and-error scientific exploration.
- AI models built from biological data (e.g., cancer mutations) predict system behavior.
Nobel Prizes and Big Pharma
- The 2024 Nobel Prizes in Chemistry and Physics highlighted AI's role in biology.
- DeepMind's collaborations with Eli Lilly and Novartis involve upfront payments.
Benaich's Background
- Nathan Benaich's background is in experimental and computational cancer research.
- His early investments focused on AI in precision medicine and drug discovery.