AI to the Coronavirus Solution (maybe)

AI (artificial intelligence) to the rescue!!!

https://www.morningbrew.com/emerging-tech/stories/2020/03/09/coronavirus-rd-highlights-ai-data-applications-biotech 

Okay, we have a world-wide health crisis on our hands.  Yes, I am washing my hands more frequently, yes, I am trying to stay away from sick people.  I’m doing my part, what about the rest of the world?

Well - technology is part of the solution:

From the linked article we have this:

“In April 2003, about five months after SARS began spreading, an international team of scientists fully sequenced the virus's genome. This January, just two weeks after a mystery virus was reported to the WHO, researchers had sequenced the novel coronavirus. Days later, they developed the first diagnostic tests.”

“Technology advances have sped up the timeline with which scientists can treat an outbreak. As they race toward a coronavirus treatment, they're using mail-order DNA, synthetic viruses, and the kind of emerging tech you're used to reading about here. 

*****

So, researchers have sequenced the coronavirus - and are working on diagnostic tests - MUCH quicker than the SARS virus of 2003 (two weeks this time around as compared to five months during SARS).

That’s great - we can diagnose it quicker.  But, are there solutions to this virus?

Again, technology to the forefront:

“Insilico Medicine, a Hong Kong-based biotech company, has fired up an "assembly line of AI methods," CEO Alex Zhavoronkov told the WSJ. In just four days, Insilico's AI models developed 100,000 unique molecules that could potentially treat coronavirus. Insilico is now producing seven solutions, hoping to begin tests next month.

“Vir Biotechnology and Atomwise are other companies deploying machine learning to analyze chemical data sets and drugs' potential performance. “

What?  Artificial Intelligence had 100,000 unique molecules moving through tests to seven potential solutions.  Sounds great (maybe).

BUT

From the article

“Even if scientists found a vaccine today, it would take months to go through the necessary human trials and produce at scale. But data analysis tools and AI can expedite R&D timelines and introduce new treatment options. 

*****

Human trials can take time (much more time that computers can do the analysis of possible solutions.  Now, tests on humans are essential.

Just because the computer says “this will work”, doesn’t mean it will work.  I’m guessing the analysis of DNA and the human genome can work in our (that is, humanities) favor.  But, humans can be pretty complex.

Thinking back to my childhood, we had a new “wonder” drug - Thalidomide!!

“Thalidomide was a widely used drug in the late 1950s and early 1960s for the treatment of nausea in pregnant women. It became apparent in the 1960s that thalidomide treatment resulted in severe birth defects in thousands of children.”

Wow -  it was to solve the problem of nausea in pregnant women but caused severe birth defects!!  (This might be like the solution to hiccups - hold your head underwater for 30 minutes - your hiccups will be gone - (and your life will be as well)!!

New medications can cause side effects that artificial intelligence can hint at - but until you test, you really don’t know how effective it might be and what side effects might occur.  Some side effects only occur on parts of the population with some specific generic conditions.

But, on the good side, researchers - AND artificial intelligence is working on a solution!!!

Let’s hope so!!

Hugs!!

Karen

(Tomorrow - some Science Fiction!!!)