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AI helped discover a new antibiotic that can kill deadly superbug

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Sushim Mukul
Sushim MukulJun 01, 2023 | 08:00

AI helped discover a new antibiotic that can kill deadly superbug

AI enabled breakthroughs like these can revolutionise medical sciences. (Photo Credit: Unsplash)

Researchers at MIT and McMaster University have utilized an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to discover an antibiotic called abaucin, capable of killing a deadly superbug. The bacteria is notorious for causing numerous drug-resistant infections.

The path-breaking discovery published in Nature Chemical Biology has strengthened the premise that AI can significantly accelerate and expand our search for new antibiotics. The antibiotic effectively combating acinetobacter baumannii, a bacteria commonly found within hospital settings, is known to cause severe infections such as pneumonia, meningitis, and other life-threatening conditions.

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This would actually pave the way for the discovery of more narrow-spectrum antibiotics (antibiotics that are targeted towards specific pathogens or a group of them).

The same pathogen was known to cause infections in wounded soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq.

About the research

  • The researchers utilized machine learning to identify new antibiotics with unique chemical structures.
  • By training a machine-learning (ML) algorithm to recognize structures inhibiting the growth of E. coli, the researchers discovered halicin, a molecule effective against drug-resistant bacteria. They then focused on combating acinetobacter baumannii, using a similar approach.
  • Testing 240 compounds different from existing antibiotics, they found nine effective antibiotics, including the potent one. These narrow-spectrum antibiotics minimize resistance and spare beneficial gut bacteria, offering promising solutions to multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.
  • The new drug, abaucin worked on mice during the lab tests.

AI and ML transforming medicine and biotech

As AI and ML have been expanding their footprints in medicine and biotechnology, it has become clearer than ever that the positives of the tech used in the field will soon outnumber the negatives. 

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  • Studies are already underway to explore the possibilities of X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans in diagnosing diseases. ML algorithms can learn from vast amounts of labelled medical samples to detect patterns and anomalies that may be indicative of certain conditions. Recently AI enabled the prediction of a heart attack.
  •  AI can predict disease outcomes and identify risk using patient data, including electronic health records, genetic information, and real-time sensor data, ML algorithms can be trained to recognize patterns and identify early warning signs. With the combination of brain and spinal and large language models, a large language module, a paralysed man could walk again.
  • AI and ML can accelerate the process of discovering new drugs and developing treatments based on vast databases of chemical and biological data to identify potential drug candidates, predict their efficacy, and optimize their properties.
  • AI and robotics are also changing the game with innovative wearables to enhance strength and endurance.
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Amidst the various criticisms of AI applications, like the buddle in generative AI, ethical concerns, high costs and job losses; the medical sciences show an optimistic way ahead.

Last updated: June 01, 2023 | 10:10
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