185: How Generative AI Accelerates Protein Design for Biotech Discovery with Elise de Reus - Part 1

For decades, protein design has hinged on painstaking rounds of wet lab mutagenesis and trial-and-error, a process limited not by human ingenuity, but by time and complexity. Yet as the biotech field seeks faster, greener, and more effective solutions for therapeutics and industrial applications, the next leap might not come solely from the lab bench.

In this episode, host David Brühlmann explores the frontiers of AI-driven protein engineering with Elise de Reus, co-founder of Cradle. Elise’s journey weaves together a passion for DNA, real-world impact from the dairy industry to synthetic biology, and high-throughput experience at Zymergen. Now, at the helm of Cradle, she is bridging cutting-edge computational models with experimental validation, making biology programmable and accelerating the path from idea to functional protein.

Here are three reasons this episode is essential listening:

• AI Makes Biology Programmable: Generative AI platforms like Cradle can intelligently design protein variants by learning from evolutionary trends and your own project data, enabling smarter, faster iterations and optimizing for stability, activity, and manufacturability - simultaneously.
• Limited Data? No Problem: While traditional approaches have stumbled over small, “short and fat” datasets, new generative AI models can effectively update their understanding with as little as a 96-well plate per round, democratizing high-impact protein design for startups, academia, and industry alike.
• The Future is Human + Machine: Even as algorithms advance, Elise stresses the irreplaceable value of wet lab validation. Cradle’s hybrid approach, integrating experimental feedback with algorithmic prediction, ensures reliable, scalable results and empowers multidisciplinary teams to unlock first- and best-in-class solutions.

Want to see how you can leverage AI to simplify and accelerate your own protein engineering projects? Don’t miss this episode to hear how Elise and Cradle are transforming the pace - and possibilities - of biotech.

Curious how Generative AI is reshaping biotech? From streamlining regulatory compliance to transforming protein purification, AI is changing the game. Dive into these standout episodes to explore the cutting edge of innovation in biotech:

• Episodes 77-78: Cell Factories Explained: How Synthetic Biology and AI Revolutionize Protein Production with Mauro Torres
• Episodes 119-120: Innovating Protein Purification Using Synthetic Organelles and AI with Haotian Guo
• Episodes 123-124: Manufacturability: Why Most Protein Candidates Fail (And How to Pick Winners Early) with Susan Sharfstein
• Episodes 167-168: How Generative AI Is Revolutionizing Biotech Regulatory Compliance with Abhijeet Satwekar

Connect with Elise de Reus:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/elise-de-reus-77b83a24

Website: www.cradle.bio

Next step:

Book a free consultation to help you get started on any questions you may have about bioprocess development: https://bruehlmann-consulting.com/call

🧬 Ready to eliminate CMC chaos and hit your IND timeline with absolute certainty? Get the complete Notion CMC Dashboard at

🧬 Stop second-guessing your CMC strategy before investor meetings. Our 1-Week CMC Assessment reveals your roadmap gaps and transforms uncertain founders into confident presenters who ace investor meetings. Secure your assessment at https://stan.store/SmartBiotech/p/get-cmc-clarity-in-1-week--investor-ready

Support the show