Scientists at Edinburgh University have made a breakthrough in the quest to find age-defying drugs using artificial intelligence (AI). They have successfully identified a trio of chemicals that can safely remove senescent cells, which are old, defective cells associated with age-related diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, failing eyesight, and mobility issues. This discovery is significant because previous attempts to eliminate these cells often caused harm to healthy cells in the body. The team used AI to develop a machine learning model that could recognize the key features of senolytic chemicals. Their model identified 21 potential senolytic molecules that could be further tested. Dr Diego Oyarzun, one of the researchers, stated, “This study shows that AI can be incredibly effective in helping us identify new drug candidates, particularly at early stages of drug discovery and for diseases with complex biology or few known molecular targets.”
The researchers conducted lab tests on human cells and found that three of the identified chemicals, ginkgetin, periplocin, and oleandrin, were able to remove senescent cells without damaging healthy cells. These chemicals are natural products found in traditional herbal medicines. Notably, oleandrin was found to be more effective than the best-known senolytic drug of its kind.
The success of this research is attributed to the intensive collaboration among data scientists, chemists, and biologists. Dr Vanessa Smer-Barreto, another member of the team, emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, stating, “Harnessing the strengths of this interdisciplinary mix, we were able to build robust models and save screening costs by using only published data for model training.”
This breakthrough could pave the way for the development of new drugs to combat age-related conditions. By using AI to identify potential drug candidates, researchers can expedite the drug discovery process. Furthermore, this method has the potential to be applied to diseases with complex biology or few known molecular targets, where traditional screening methods may be less effective.
As the search for the elixir of life continues, advancements in AI and collaborative interdisciplinary research are bringing us closer to finding effective solutions to combat ageing and age-related diseases. With each new breakthrough, scientists gain a greater understanding of the intricacies of the ageing process, offering hope for a healthier and longer life.
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