In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers from McMaster University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have harnessed the power of artificial intelligence to unveil a new antibiotic. This breakthrough could potentially eradicate a formidable superbug that plagues hospitals and poses a significant threat to human health, as revealed in a study published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology.
What is the Superbug in Question?
The superbug we’re talking about is called Acinetobacter baumannii, and it’s a really serious threat according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO puts it in a group of bacteria that pose the biggest danger to human health. These bacteria have natural abilities to resist treatment and can even share that ability with other bacteria, making them resistant to drugs too.
A. baumannii is a problem in places like hospitals, nursing homes, and among patients who use ventilators or have catheters or open wounds from surgery. It can stick around on surfaces and shared equipment for a long time, and it can spread through contaminated hands. It doesn’t just cause blood infections, but also infections in the urinary tracts and lungs, as per a report by the Guardian.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also say that this bacteria can live in a patient without causing any infections or symptoms.
How Did AI Do It?
In the recent study, researchers used the capabilities of an AI algorithm to sift through a vast array of antibacterial molecules, aiming to uncover novel structural classes. Through the process of AI screening, a breakthrough unfolded as a new compound with potent antibacterial properties emerged, christened abaucin.
Gary Liu, a dedicated graduate student from McMaster University involved in the research, explained their approach to the Guardian. By harnessing a wealth of data on the effectiveness of various chemicals against bacteria, the AI model was trained to discern the antibacterial potential of new molecules. Liu’s role involved training the model to predict whether these novel compounds possessed antibacterial properties, thereby streamlining the drug discovery process and enabling the researchers to focus their attention on the most promising candidates.
Following the successful training of the AI model, the researchers put it to the test, analyzing a staggering 6,680 compounds that the algorithm had not previously encountered. In just an hour and a half, the AI analysis generated several hundred compounds worthy of consideration. Subsequently, 240 of these compounds underwent rigorous laboratory testing to evaluate their efficacy. The comprehensive testing process yielded nine potential antibiotics, including the groundbreaking abaucin.
This ingenious combination of artificial intelligence and scientific expertise has expedited the drug discovery pipeline, enabling researchers to rapidly identify and evaluate promising antibacterial compounds. The application of AI algorithms in this manner marks a significant leap forward in the field of drug development, offering a more efficient and targeted approach to combating antibiotic-resistant superbugs like Acinetobacter baumannii.
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