The College of Surrey has constructed a synthetic intelligence (AI) mannequin that identifies chemical compounds that promote wholesome getting old — paving the way in which in direction of pharmaceutical improvements that stretch an individual’s lifespan.
In a paper printed by Nature Communication’s Scientific Studies, a workforce of chemists from Surrey constructed a machine studying mannequin primarily based on the knowledge from the DrugAge database to foretell whether or not a compound can prolong the lifetime of Caenorhabditis elegans — a translucent worm that shares an identical metabolism to people. The worm’s shorter lifespan gave the researchers the chance to see the affect of the chemical compounds.
The AI singled out three compounds which have an 80 % likelihood of accelerating the lifespan of elegans:
- flavonoids (anti-oxidant pigments present in vegetation that promote cardiovascular well being),
- fatty acids (akin to omega 3), and
- Organooxygens (compounds that include carbon to oxygen bonds, akin to alcohol).
Sofia Kapsiani, co-author of the examine and last yr undergraduate scholar on the College of Surrey, mentioned:
“Ageing is more and more being acknowledged as a set of illnesses in trendy medication, and we are able to apply the instruments of the digital world, akin to AI, to assist decelerate or shield in opposition to getting old and age-related illnesses. Our examine demonstrates the revolutionary potential of AI to help the identification of compounds with anti-aging properties.”
Dr. Brendan Howlin, lead creator of the examine and Senior Lecturer in Computational Chemistry on the College of Surrey, mentioned:
“This analysis reveals the ability and potential of AI, which is a specialty of the College of Surrey, to drive vital advantages in human well being.”
Reference: “Random forest classification for predicting lifespan-extending chemical compounds” by Sofia Kapsiani and Brendan J. Howlin, 5 July 2021, Scientific Studies.
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93070-6
