ForceGen: End-to-end de novo protein generation (opens in new tab)

(science.org)

64 pointsvagabund2y ago10 comments

10 comments

Author thread: https://twitter.com/ProfBuehlerMIT/status/175628414213464913...

Code and weights: https://huggingface.co/lamm-mit/ProteinMechanicsDiffusionDes...

This is an interesting and novel paper. Speaking as a biophysicist, I see potential applications in the regenerative medicine space with cartilage and/or joint replacement. There could be also applications in the field of dermatology with aging therapies or skin grafts. More speculatively, one can imagine scientists developing superior types of joints or connective tissues than the ones evolution has landed upon.

instagraham2y ago

A question for any novel approach like this - every single usecase needs its own safety and clinical trial before we can see it in action on humans?

Anything this synthesizes will have a 10-15 year minimum waiting period, I assume?

BenFranklin1002y ago

I estimate at least 20 years before we see practical applications. Biology is complicated, developing effecting therapies often even more so. But we have to start somewhere.

Santosh832y ago

What's the potential to weaponize such advances, say by creating novel prions and so on? I assume powers that be are already playing with the tech hidden away in their bunkers?

bettercaust2y ago

Probably limited as far as prions go. This particular advancement is in proteins that have sought-after mechanical properties like spider silk.

echelon2y ago

If you wanted to cultivate prions as a bioweapon, you could already grab them from reservoir sources such as deer and cattle.

nextaccountic2y ago

Maybe off topic, but what means "de novo"? (in Portuguese it means "again" but I can't make sense of this)

This article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_novo_protein_structure_pred... also doesn't mention the etymology

msla2y ago

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/de_novo

> Borrowed from Latin dē novō (adverb, literally “from the new”), from dē (“from”) + novō, ablative singular of novus (“new”).

> Anew, afresh, from the beginning; without consideration of previous instances, proceedings or determinations.

andreareina2y ago

"From new". You see it in biochem when there are multiple ways to synthesize something and one of them starts from raw(er) materials. e.g. triglycerides can be made from free fatty acids or can start all the way from glucose. The pathway that starts with glucose is called "de novo lipogenesis".

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10 comments

vagabundOP2y ago

Author thread: https://twitter.com/ProfBuehlerMIT/status/175628414213464913...

Code and weights: https://huggingface.co/lamm-mit/ProteinMechanicsDiffusionDes...

BenFranklin1002y ago

instagraham2y ago

A question for any novel approach like this - every single usecase needs its own safety and clinical trial before we can see it in action on humans?

Anything this synthesizes will have a 10-15 year minimum waiting period, I assume?

BenFranklin1002y ago

I estimate at least 20 years before we see practical applications. Biology is complicated, developing effecting therapies often even more so. But we have to start somewhere.

Santosh832y ago

What's the potential to weaponize such advances, say by creating novel prions and so on? I assume powers that be are already playing with the tech hidden away in their bunkers?

bettercaust2y ago

Probably limited as far as prions go. This particular advancement is in proteins that have sought-after mechanical properties like spider silk.

echelon2y ago

If you wanted to cultivate prions as a bioweapon, you could already grab them from reservoir sources such as deer and cattle.

nextaccountic2y ago

Maybe off topic, but what means "de novo"? (in Portuguese it means "again" but I can't make sense of this)

This article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_novo_protein_structure_pred... also doesn't mention the etymology

msla2y ago

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/de_novo

> Borrowed from Latin dē novō (adverb, literally “from the new”), from dē (“from”) + novō, ablative singular of novus (“new”).

> Anew, afresh, from the beginning; without consideration of previous instances, proceedings or determinations.

andreareina2y ago

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse