SYDNEY, July 8 (Xinhua) — Australian scientists have unveiled a pioneering “biological artificial intelligence (AI)” platform designed to dramatically accelerate drug discovery.
The innovative system enabled the rapid creation and evolution of molecules with new or enhanced functions directly inside mammalian cells, paving the way for more effective gene therapies and advanced medicines, according to a statement released recently by the University of Sydney, which led the study.
Called PROTEUS (PROTein Evolution Using Selection), the platform marked a major leap in molecular engineering by enabling rapid evolution of proteins within mammalian cells, something previously limited to bacteria, which allowed scientists to mimic and speed up natural selection, reducing processes that once took years to just weeks, researchers said.
“What is new about our work is that directed evolution primarily works in bacterial cells, whereas PROTEUS can evolve molecules in mammal cells,” said the study’s co-senior author Greg Neely from the University of Sydney.
Led by the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Center and the Centenary Institute, the research has made PROTEUS open source, enabling global adoption to speed the development of advanced enzymes, molecular tools, therapeutics, and improved gene-editing and mRNA medicines. ■