Stanford Uses AI to Design Complete Virus Genome

Researchers at Stanford University in the US used AI to create a new, fully functional virus in the lab. It's the first time AI has designed a complete genome. The 16 new viruses only infect bacteria and don't harm humans.

The team built Evo1 and Evo2 models that predict the 'language of life,' similar to how ChatGPT works with text. They trained the models on genetic code from viruses, bacteria, plants, and humans. Then they fine-tuned the models to design phages—viruses that target specific bacteria.

To test the designs, the team picked the 302 most promising ones and made them in the lab. Out of those, 16 successfully killed E. coli bacteria. This could lead to new treatments for antibiotic-resistant infections, as phage therapy is seen as a potential solution to rising bacterial infections.

Professor Marc Güell from Pompeu Fabra University in Spain called this a 'turning point' because it's the first time humans have designed biology on a computer. The team says designing simple organisms would take 'a lot of work, but it's not impossible,' and could greatly improve human health through new drugs and therapies.