*SCIENTISTS USE AI TO DESIGN BRAND NEW VIRUSES FROM SCRATCH FOR THE FIRST TIME*


 

*SCIENTISTS USE AI TO DESIGN BRAND NEW VIRUSES FROM SCRATCH FOR THE FIRST TIME*


_By:Sarki Halima Musa_


Researchers at Stanford University in the United States have used Artificial Intelligence to design brand new viruses from scratch that can replicate in the laboratory, marking the first time AI has been used to create complete viral genomes. The team led by Assistant Professor Brian Hie used AI models called Evo1 and Evo2. The system works like ChatGPT, but instead of predicting words, it predicts DNA sequences — what scientists call "the language of life." The researchers did not modify existing viruses. The AI generated entirely new genomes designed as bacteriophages, viruses that only infect bacteria. Out of 302 AI designs, 16 successfully killed E. coli bacteria in laboratory tests. PhD student Samuel King said the team saw clear spots on petri dishes overnight and the laboratory erupted in applause.


Experts say the breakthrough could open new possibilities in medicine. The designed phages could be used to fight bacterial infections that have become resistant to antibiotics. It also demonstrates that AI can now design biology that does not exist in nature, which could lead to new drugs and therapies. However, health security experts have raised concerns. Dr. Thomas Inglesby and Dr. Moritz Hanke from the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security described the development as an "urgent biosafety and biosecurity issue." They warned that the question is no longer whether AI can design a virus, but how to prevent the technology from being used to cause harm.


Evo1 and Evo2 are genomic language models developed by researchers at Arc Institute and Stanford. The models were trained on trillions of DNA letters from viruses, bacteria, plants, and humans. This allowed them to learn the patterns of DNA. Like ChatGPT predicts the next word, Evo1 and Evo2 predict the next DNA base and can generate a full genome from a prompt such as "design a bacteriophage that infects E. coli." The Stanford team then refined the models specifically for phage design before testing them in the lab.


Professor Hie said "this was new territory for us." Analysts say the discovery represents a ChatGPT moment for biology, where the barrier to creating new forms of life has dropped significantly. The development is expected to spark new debates about regulation, DNA screening, and safety guardrails as AI continues to advance in the field of synthetic biology.


#AI #Stanford #Evo1 #Evo2 #Science #Biosafety #SyntheticBiology #Health #NEXVIEWNScience

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