Scientists see a unique chance to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to make a virtual human cell. This virtual cell could mimic how real human cells and their parts behave.
In a paper published in Cell, the scientists argue than the AI virtual cell (AIVC) could lead to breakthroughs in biomedical research, personalized medicine, drug discovery, cell engineering, and programmable biology.
Emma Lundberg, a Stanford professor, calls this the "holy grail of biology," suggesting AI can learn from data to uncover biology's secrets. "AI offers the ability to learn directly from data and to move beyond assumptions and hunches to discover the emergent properties of complex biological systems,” she says.
The scientists propose that an AI virtual cell could help understand how cells work and why they get sick. It would let scientists test ideas on computers rather than living organisms, speeding up research for new medicines.
A virtual cell could help cancer biologists study how cells become cancerous, microbiologists predict virus impacts, and doctors test treatments on digital versions of patients for personalized medicine.
Bridging AI and biology
For the AI virtual cell to be successful, it must do three things: create general models for different species and cell types, predict cell behavior accurately, and allow for cost-effective experiments on computers.
The project demands a lot of data, far more than what was used for AI models like ChatGPT. It needs global teamwork across many scientific fields and a commitment to sharing results freely.
Lundberg emphasizes that this project is enormous, like the Human Genome Project, needing cooperation and time, potentially over a decade. “But, with today’s rapidly expanding AI capabilities and our massive and growing datasets, the time is ripe for science to unite and begin the work of revolutionizing the way we understand and model biology," she says.
"By bridging the worlds of computer systems, modern generative AI and AI agents, and biology, the AIVC could ultimately enable scientists to understand cells as information processing systems and build virtual depictions of life," concludes the Cell paper.