AI at the core: philanthropy fuels EMBL’s strategy

(Press-News.org) The European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) has long been a pioneer in developing and applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) to advance genomics, structural biology, and drug discovery. One of the standout examples is AlphaFold – developed by Google DeepMind and trained on data provided by EMBL-EBI and collaborators – which has revolutionised protein structure prediction. With EMBL-EBI’s support, AlphaFold2 predictions were made freely available to researchers worldwide. 

Alongside its major contributions to AI in structural biology, EMBL is also leading the way in applying AI to all types of biological data analysis and scientific research, including new methods for cellular imaging, analysing patterns in health records, and combining different types of biological data like genomics and proteomics. EMBL’s comprehensive AI strategy now reflects and builds on its proven track record of AI-driven innovation to present a broader, forward-looking vision: to harness the full potential of artificial intelligence for transformative scientific discovery.

A major boost to this ambition comes from a visionary long-term donation by the German Hector Foundation. This funding will enable the creation of dedicated AI research groups, data engineering teams, and state-of-the-art infrastructure, along with fellowship and skills development programmes that bridge AI and life sciences. These initiatives aim to attract top talent, foster collaboration across academia and industry, and embed AI firmly in the delivery of research infrastructures.

“The investment by the Hector Foundation is a testament to the critical role AI will play in shaping the future of life sciences and the role EMBL can play in this transformation,” said Oliver Stegle, Acting Head of AI at EMBL. “AI is already a game-changer for exploring huge amounts of biological data at incredible speed. But real transformation doesn’t happen in isolation – it takes strong partnerships, teamwork across disciplines, and working together across borders as a community.”

AI-powered science for the future

EMBL’s vision to transform multiple areas of biological and biomedical research is grounded in EMBL’s long-standing expertise in technology development, open data, and its leadership in building curated biological data resources used worldwide to train AI models.

In genomics and proteomics, machine learning models can help decode complex genetic sequences, predict protein structures, and identify biomarkers for diseases.  AI-guided imaging and microscopy can enhance cellular and molecular observations, further reducing manual approaches while improving accuracy in large-scale experiments. In drug discovery, expanded molecular simulations powered by AI can accelerate the identification of potential drug candidates, cutting research timelines significantly. Additionally, AI-based data management systems will continue to streamline the processing of vast biological datasets, making them more accessible and actionable for researchers worldwide.  “Artificial intelligence is transforming how we do biology,” said Anna Kreshuk, Senior Scientist and expert in machine learning at EMBL. “This initiative will reshape the questions we ask, how we answer them, and how we connect theory with experiment.”

Interdisciplinary alliances: A vision for a European AI ecosystem

To fully realise the transformative potential of artificial intelligence, EMBL is scaling up its AI infrastructure and expanding partnerships with academic, industrial, and regulatory stakeholders across Europe. 

By attracting leading experts from around the globe and providing access to world-class facilities, EMBL fosters a dynamic scientific environment – one that ensures that the benefits of AI-driven discovery are broadly accessible and continue to propel interdisciplinary research forward. Recognising that cutting-edge tools are only as powerful as the people who wield them, EMBL places strong emphasis on training the next generation of interdisciplinary scientists in advanced computational research.

Philanthropy with purpose: fueling EMBL’s AI initiative

EMBL’s strategy integrates ethical standards, including privacy safeguards and reproducibility protocols to guide the responsible application of AI. These efforts reflect its broader commitment to shaping not just what computational life science can achieve, but how it should be applied for the benefit of science and society.

The Hector Foundation’s visionary investment not only strengthens EMBL’s capacity to lead in AI-based research approaches but also serves as a catalyst for attracting additional external funding and forging new partnerships across Europe. “We are at the beginning of a new scientific era in which artificial intelligence provides key impulses for gaining knowledge and driving innovation. With our long-term support, we aim to enable EMBL to further expand its leading role in AI-driven life science – for the benefit of research, medicine, and society as a whole,” said Dr. h.c. Hans-Werner Hector, founder of the Hector Foundation.

Through this support – combined with EMBL’s scientific leadership and collaborative ethos – EMBL is setting a new global standard for AI-driven life science research and research infrastructures. By equipping scientists with advanced tools, interdisciplinary skills, and robust ethical frameworks, EMBL ensures that the benefits of AI are shared across borders and disciplines, accelerating discovery and shaping the future of biology.

 

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