{"671293":{"#nid":"671293","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Faculty to use AI for Protein Design and Discovery with Support of $1.8 Million NIH Grant","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe National Institute of Health (NIH) has awarded \u003Cstrong\u003EYunan Luo\u003C\/strong\u003E a grant for more than $1.8 million to use artificial intelligence (AI) to advance protein research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENew AI models produced through the grant will lead to new methods for the design and discovery of functional proteins. This could yield novel drugs and vaccines, personalized treatments against diseases, and other advances in biomedicine.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis project provides a new paradigm to analyze proteins\u2019 sequence-structure-function relationships using machine learning approaches,\u201d said Luo, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe will develop new, ready-to-use computational models for domain scientists, like biologists and chemists. They can use our machine learning tools to guide scientific discovery in their research.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/reporter.nih.gov\/search\/j3MVxRlf6EG3ZhrN8vk3tQ\/project-details\/10712082\u0022\u003ELuo\u2019s proposal\u003C\/a\u003E improves on datasets spearheaded by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/alphafold.ebi.ac.uk\/\u0022\u003EAlphaFold\u003C\/a\u003E and other recent breakthroughs. His AI algorithms would integrate these datasets and craft new models for practical application.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of Luo\u2019s goals is to develop machine learning methods that learn statistical representations from the data. This reveals relationships between proteins\u2019 sequence, structure, and function. Scientists then could characterize how sequence and structure determine the function of a protein.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENext, Luo wants to make accurate and interpretable predictions about protein functions. His plan is to create biology-informed deep learning frameworks. These frameworks could make predictions about a protein\u2019s function from knowledge of its sequence and structure. It can also account for variables like mutations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the end, Luo would have the data and tools to assist in the discovery of functional proteins. He will use these to build a computational platform of AI models, algorithms, and frameworks that \u2018invent\u2019 proteins. The platform figures the sequence and structure necessary to achieve a designed proteins desired functions and characteristics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMy students play a very important part in this research because they are the driving force behind various aspects of this project at the intersection of computational science and protein biology,\u201d Luo said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI think this project provides a unique opportunity to train our students in CSE to learn the real-world challenges facing scientific and engineering problems, and how to integrate computational methods to solve those problems.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe $1.8 million grant is funded through the Maximizing Investigators\u2019 Research Award (MIRA). The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) manages the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nigms.nih.gov\/Research\/mechanisms\/MIRA\u0022\u003EMIRA program\u003C\/a\u003E. NIGMS is one of 27 institutes and centers under NIH.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMIRA is oriented toward launching the research endeavors of young career faculty. The grant provides researchers with more stability and flexibility through five years of funding. This enhances scientific productivity and improves the chances for important breakthroughs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELuo becomes the second School of CSE faculty to receive the MIRA grant. NIH awarded the grant to \u003Cstrong\u003EXiuwei Zhang\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2021. Zhang is the J.Z. Liang Early-Career Assistant Professor in the School of CSE.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E[Related: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/award-winning-computer-models-propel-research-cellular-differentiation\u0022\u003EAward-winning Computer Models Propel Research in Cellular Differentiation\u003C\/a\u003E]\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAfter NIH, of course, I first thanked my students because they laid the groundwork for what we seek to achieve in our grant proposal,\u201d said Luo.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI would like to thank my colleague, Xiuwei Zhang, for her mentorship in preparing the proposal. I also thank our school chair, Haesun Park, for her help and support while starting my career.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe National Institute of Health (NIH) has awarded\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EYunan Luo\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;a grant for more than $1.8 million to use artificial intelligence (AI) to advance protein research.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENew AI models produced through the grant will lead to new methods for the design and discovery of functional proteins. This could yield novel drugs and vaccines, personalized treatments against diseases, and other advances in biomedicine.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The National Institute of Health (NIH) has awarded Yunan Luo a grant for more than $1.8 million to use artificial intelligence (AI) to advance protein research."}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2023-11-29 13:25:24","changed_gmt":"2024-06-04 01:23:01","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-11-29T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2023-11-29T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"672465":{"id":"672465","type":"image","title":"Luo NIH Grant2.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1701264332","gmt_created":"2023-11-29 13:25:32","changed":"1701264332","gmt_changed":"2023-11-29 13:25:32","alt":"Yunan Luo $1.8 Million NIH Grant","file":{"fid":"255703","name":"Luo NIH Grant2.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/11\/29\/Luo%20NIH%20Grant2.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/11\/29\/Luo%20NIH%20Grant2.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":77115,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/11\/29\/Luo%20NIH%20Grant2.jpeg?itok=PzgqoaYM"}}},"media_ids":["672465"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/faculty-use-ai-protein-design-and-discovery-support-18-million-nih-grant","title":"Faculty to use AI for Protein Design and Discovery with Support of $1.8 Million NIH Grant"}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"166983","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"76231","name":"Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"2556","name":"artificial intelligence"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}