Robot scientist Eva found a new cure for malaria Bashny.Net

Researchers from Cambridge and Manchester universities have proven the ability of the robot scientist Eve to find a cure for malaria . To do this, Eve scanned the ten thousand combinations of substances every day and tested them on genetically modified yeast to test toxicity for human cells. By plan its creators, Eve will make the process of finding drugs faster and cheaper.





Artificial intelligence allows Eve to learn. It selects compounds that are active against the goal - in this case were plasmodia, unicellular parasites, malaria pathogens. The drug must meet another important requirement: must not harm a person. The lack of toxicity is tested for genetically modified yeast.

Eve chooses from the library, in which about fifteen thousand compounds suitable and experimented to ten thousand times a day. Some substances, it checks several times to make sure their uselessness.

To select drugs Eve uses active learning - one of the ways machine learning. The algorithm itself appoints the following situation under study. Such an approach would minimize the cost of the test material, ie save drug manufacturers.

From the beginning of the development of the drug before it goes to market ten years, the cost of an average - about a billion dollars. A disease, blowing millions of lives , adjust to the medication. Therefore, it is important to automate the process of finding and make it more effective.

Eva at work i>


Source: geektimes.ru/post/245474/