Nature Podcast Audio long read: AI has dreamt up a blizzard of new proteins. Do any of them actually work?
5 snips
Nov 29, 2024 Explore the exciting world of AI-driven protein engineering, especially its potential in cancer research. Hear about innovative DIY hackathons that push the boundaries of protein design. Discover the rise of competitions aimed at identifying functional proteins from a vast array of AI-generated options. These contests are democratizing science, but challenges remain in setting objective judging criteria and dealing with high experimental failure rates. Tune in for insights into the future of biotech!
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Weekend Protein Design
- Alex Nacker, a protein engineer, used AI to design proteins targeting a tumor-related receptor.
- He entered his designs into a protein design competition, seeing them rise on the leaderboard.
Rise of Design Competitions
- Numerous protein design competitions have emerged recently, leveraging AI tools like AlphaFold.
- These competitions aim to identify effective protein designs amidst a surge of AI-generated proteins, addressing the challenge of validating these designs.
Inspiration from CASP
- Protein design contests draw inspiration from CASP, a competition that revolutionized protein structure prediction.
- CASP's success with AlphaFold motivates similar competitions to advance protein design.