Introductuon: Researchers just published a new study detailing the use of AI to predict close to 1M new antibiotics hidden within tiny microbes all over the world, uncovering new potential treatments against bacteria and superbugs.
The details:
Researchers used AI to analyze publicly available data on over 100,000 different genomes and meta-genomes.
The AI then predicted which parts of the microbial genomes could potentially produce antibiotic compounds, generating a list of nearly one million candidates.
100 of the AI-predicted drug candidates were tested in the lab, with 79 of them being a potential antibiotic.
The paper’s author Cesar de la Fuente said the findings are “the largest antibiotic discovery ever”, accelerating the process from years to just hours.
Why it matters: As the world faces growing threats from antibiotic-resistant bacteria, AI’s ability to unlock millions of new potential treatments could be a lifeline toward staying ahead in the race to outsmart superbugs responsible for millions of deaths every year.
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