Buck Institute awarded DARPA contract to pioneer next-gen AI modeling platform

(Press-News.org) The Buck Institute for Research on Aging has secured a significant contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to spearhead the Simulation and Inference of Microbial Behavior and Adaptation (SIMBA) project. In collaboration with DARPA's Simulating Microbial Systems (SMS) Program, this initiative will develop a cloud-based platform integrating multi-dimensional, multi-omic data to simulate the dynamic behavior of microbial cells.

Dr. James Yurkovich, Research Assistant Professor at the Buck Institute and Principal Investigator of the SIMBA Team, stated, "We are incredibly excited to lead this outstanding team in developing the next generation of whole-cell modeling technologies. Our goal is to revolutionize the way we model and predict microbial states, offering immense potential for advancing our fundamental understanding of bacterial behavior and addressing critical challenges in biomanufacturing and national security."

Current "whole-cell models"—computer programs that predict microbial behavior and function, from gene expression to protein levels within a cell—face considerable hurdles in capturing the complexity of biological systems with their vast numbers of genes and intricate interactions. The Buck Institute is leading a multi-partner team including Philancea Network Inc., Ardra Inc., and b.next among others to overcome these limitations. Together, they will develop a broadly applicable and comprehensive cloud-based computational simulation platform capable of integrating extensive multi-dimensional, multi-omic data. This powerful integration will enable the highly accurate simulation of dynamic bacterial phenotypes and behaviors, while also capturing the natural variation and stochasticity observed across individual cells within a population.

"Our advanced generative AI that leverages mechanistic knowledge will provide unprecedented insight and predictive power at the level of individual cells," said Dr. Laurence Yang, Principal and Founder at Philancea Network, Inc., who will co-lead the AI efforts. “This AI platform will enhance manufacturing efficiency by designing cell factories predictively."

The SIMBA platform will be applied to accelerate biomanufacturing processes by optimizing the design of E. coli strains for the efficient production of high-value molecules. Simultaneously, the team will work to enhance the prediction of antimicrobial efficacy, allowing for more accurate forecasting of novel antimicrobials against bacterial threats.

“This award underscores the Buck Institute’s leadership in innovative research and its commitment to tackling complex scientific challenges with significant real-world impact,” says Eric Verdin, MD, President and CEO of the Buck Institute. “The SIMBA project is poised to usher in a new era of understanding and harnessing the power of microbial systems.”

About the Buck Institute:

Our success will ultimately change healthcare. At the Buck, we aim to end the threat of age-related diseases for this and future generations by bringing together the most capable and passionate scientists from a broad range of disciplines to identify and impede the ways in which we age. An independent, nonprofit institution, our goal is to increase human healthspan, or the healthy years of life. Globally recognized as the pioneer and leader in efforts to target aging, the number one risk factor for serious diseases including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cancer, macular degeneration, heart disease, and diabetes, the Buck wants to help people live better longer.  Learn more at: https://buckinstitute.org

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