In the heart of South London, a former biscuit factory has been transformed into a cutting-edge hub of innovation. Here, robotics, AI, and DNA sequencing collide to create a transformative medical antibody engineering solution. LabGenius, under the leadership of James Field, is rewriting the playbook on antibody design using the power of artificial intelligence, offering a glimpse into a future where AI drives medical breakthroughs.
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Unleashing the Power of Antibodies
Antibodies, the body’s defense against disease, are nature’s sentinels in the battle against infections. These protein strands act as guardians, locking onto foreign invaders and orchestrating their bodily elimination. While synthetic antibodies have been crafted by pharmaceutical companies since the 1980s to treat cancer and minimize organ rejection post-transplant, the manual process of designing them remains painstakingly slow.
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The Human Challenge: Navigating a Sea of Possibilities
Human protein designers face the monumental task of sifting through millions of potential amino acid combinations to find the perfect sequence for each antibody. This intricate process requires meticulous experimentation, with tweaks to enhance certain attributes while hoping they don’t compromise others. LabGenius’ founder and CEO, James Field, eloquently describes this quest: “Somewhere in this infinite space of potential molecules sits the molecule you want to find.”
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A Vision Takes Shape: The Birth of LabGenius
Field’s journey began in 2012, during his Ph.D. studies in synthetic biology at Imperial College London. As DNA sequencing, computation, and robotics costs plummeted, he recognized the potential for a radical shift in antibody engineering. LabGenius was born from this vision, where the convergence of AI, robotics, and DNA sequencing would pave the way for automated antibody discovery.
Revolutionizing the Design Process: AI’s Guiding Hand
LabGenius leverages a machine-learning algorithm to spearhead the antibody design process. The model starts by identifying potential antibodies to combat a specific disease. Using examples of healthy and diseased cells, the algorithm delves into the vast antibody design space, presenting over 700 initial options from a pool of 100,000 possibilities.
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LabGenius’ Automated Pipeline: From Design to Testing
The magic unfolds within LabGenius’ Bermondsey lab, where automated robotic systems and AI take center stage. The design, construction, and nurturing of antibodies in the lab take place with minimal human intervention. A symphony of high-end equipment guides the samples through testing, allowing antibodies to be grown and subjected to rigorous biological assays. Human oversight ensures seamless transitions from one stage to the next.
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AI’s Feedback Loop: Refining with Every Iteration
Crucially, the AI model learns and adapts with each round of experimentation. The experimental results inform the algorithm, enhancing its comprehension of antibody design’s intricate nuances. As iterations progress, the model strikes a delicate balance between exploiting promising designs and exploring novel possibilities, accelerating the journey toward groundbreaking solutions.
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The LabGenius Approach: Breaking the Chains of Convention
LabGenius’ approach diverges from conventional protein engineering. Instead of refining minute variations of a single design, the model takes bold leaps into uncharted territory. It uncovers solutions that human intuition might have missed, delivering results quickly and accurately.
Better Outcomes for Patients: The Ultimate Goal
Field’s mission is crystal clear: to provide patients with antibody treatments that are more potent and possess fewer side effects. LabGenius’ AI-driven approach unlocks molecules that conventional methods might never have unveiled. By embracing counterintuitive designs and exploiting AI’s capabilities, LabGenius envisions a world where patients reap the rewards of innovative medical solutions crafted by AI’s guiding hand.
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Our Say
LabGenius is illuminating the path toward a future characterized by streamlined drug discovery. Field envisions a paradigm shift from the current “artisanal” approach to drug creation, revolutionizing medical progress. With $28 million in funding and partnerships with pharmaceutical giants, LabGenius is poised to redefine the boundaries of medical innovation driven by the power of AI.
Sabreena Basheer is an architect-turned-writer who's passionate about documenting anything that interests her. She's currently exploring the world of AI and Data Science as a Content Manager at Analytics Vidhya.
