AI Helps Biotech Labs Generate the Building Blocks for New Drugs

But what if we could add new proteins to the resource pile? Two biotech labs have begun using artificial intelligence (AI) to generate novel proteins with the goal of incorporating them into medicine. Chroma, a program by Boston-based Generate Biomedicines, and RoseTTAFold Diffusion, a program out of the University of Washington’s Baker Lab, are often compared with trendy AI art generators thanks to their ability to create new concepts seemingly out of thin air. In fact, Chroma has even been referred to as “the DALL-E 2 of biology.”

AI protein generators, a type of denoising diffusion probabilistic model (DDPM), are trained to pull samples from complex datasets. They then use those samples—plus added noise—to construct a product that matches a given prompt. Although art generators are the best-known DDPMs, AI isn’t only good for producing images on demand; they’ve also been found to be an ideal method of generating diverse protein models. In a preprint on bioRxiv, Baker Labs scientists describe how RoseTTAFold can devise protein structures with virtually any desired size, shape, or function, as well as with any required constraints.

Chroma works similarly. Generate Biomedicine’s program pulls from what it calls the Protein Data Bank, which houses 3D protein and protein complex structures as well as amino acid sequences. Using the patterns from this data, Chroma can create new proteins within size, symmetry, and function constraints. Seemingly capable of heavier lifts than its competitor, Chroma uses a single commodity GPU to generate large proteins and protein complexes in just a few minutes.

Once RoseTTAFold or Chroma generates a protein, scientists can bring that protein to life in the lab. Baker Lab says it has already synthesized hundreds of RoseTTAFold’s creations, many of which have the potential to be “useful as medications, vaccines, or even new nanomaterials.” Some of Baker Lab’s proteins even attach to essential hormones better than existing protein-based drugs, offering hope that AI-generated proteins might someday enable the creation of more effective pharmaceuticals.

Continue reading

Intel Launches AMD Radeon-Powered CPUs

Intel's new Radeon+Kaby Lake hybrid CPUs are headed for store shelves. Here's how the SKUs break down and what you need to know.

SpaceX Launches ‘Better Than Nothing’ Starlink Beta

Those lucky few who have gotten invitations to try the service will have to pay a hefty up-front cost, and the speeds aren't amazing. Still, it's a new generation of satellite internet.

Samsung, Stanford Built a 10,000 PPI Display That Could Revolutionize VR, AR

Ask anyone who has spent more than a few minutes inside a VR headset, and they'll mention the screen door effect. This could eliminate it for good.

New Intel Rocket Lake Details: Backwards Compatible, Xe Graphics, Cypress Cove

Intel has released a bit more information about Rocket Lake and its 10nm CPU that's been back-ported to 14nm.