Australian scientists unveil ‘biological AI’ to speed up drug discovery

Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.

Australian scientists have developed a pioneering “biological artificial intelligence (AI)” system capable of dramatically accelerating drug discovery, potentially cutting years off the development time for advanced medicines.

The platform, named PROTEUS (PROTein Evolution Using Selection), enables the rapid creation and evolution of molecules with new or enhanced functions directly inside mammalian cells. According to the University of Sydney, which led the study, this advancement paves the way for more effective gene therapies and next-generation medicines.

Researchers explained that while directed evolution has traditionally been confined to bacterial cells, PROTEUS represents a major leap by enabling such evolution within mammalian cells for the first time. This allows scientists to mimic and speed up natural selection, reducing processes that once took years to just weeks.

“What is new about our work is that directed evolution primarily works in bacterial cells, whereas PROTEUS can evolve molecules in mammal cells,” said Greg Neely, co-senior author of the study from the University of Sydney.

The research, conducted by the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Center and the Centenary Institute, has made PROTEUS open source. This decision aims to enable global adoption to accelerate the development of advanced enzymes, molecular tools, therapeutics, and improved gene-editing and mRNA-based medicines.

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