Asimov Selected by DARPA to Develop Artificial Intelligence Design Engine for Synthetic Biology

synbiobeta
Cambridge, MA
March 28, 2019

Read the original article here.

New initiative to use machine learning to design complex cellular behaviors

Asimov, a synthetic biology company building a full-stack platform for programming living cells, announced that it has been awarded a contract as part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Automating Scientific Knowledge Extraction (ASKE) opportunity.

Through ASKE, Asimov will work on developing a physics-based artificial intelligence (AI) design engine for biology.
The goal of this effort is to improve the reliability of programming complex cellular behaviors.

"To realize predictive engineering of biology, dramatic advances in computer-aided design are required. Machine learning is essential to bridge the gap between genome-scale experimental data and computational models that accurately capture the underlying biophysics," said Dr. Alec Nielsen, CEO of Asimov and principal investigator for the program. "As engineered systems become more complex, they become difficult for humans to design and understand. For simple genetic systems consisting of a few genes, synthetic biologists typically use high-throughput screening and basic optimization algorithms.
However, to design more complex applications in health, materials, and manufacturing, fundamentally new algorithms are needed to intelligently design DNA and simulate cellular behavior."

Asimov's founders previously built a hybrid genetic engineering and computer-aided design platform called Cello to program the behavior of logic circuits within cells. ASKE aims to help ambitiously expand the types of biological behaviors that can be designed.

Asimov's approach will leverage "multi-omics" cell measurement, structured biological metadata, and new AI architectures that combine deep learning, reinforcement learning, and mechanistic modeling.
Over the past year, the company has strengthened its hiring in experimental synthetic biology, machine learning, and data science to accelerate the development of its genetic design platform.

DARPA recently announced a $2 billion multi-year investment in innovative artificial intelligence research called the AI Next campaign.
As part of this broad AI strategy, DARPA's Artificial Intelligence Exploration program was developed to rapidly advance pioneering AI research from idea to exploration in less than 90 days. DARPA's ASKE is part of this program and focuses on developing AI technologies capable of reasoning over rich models of complex systems.

"For over 50 years, DARPA has been a global leader in fostering innovation across the entire field of AI, including statistical learning and rule-based approaches. We are proud to work with DARPA to advance the state-of-the-art in AI-assisted genetic engineering," said Nielsen.

About Asimov
Asimov is a synthetic biology company building a full-stack genetic design platform for programming living cells.
Asimov's multidisciplinary team combines genetic engineering, design automation, and artificial intelligence to enable new applications in molecular manufacturing and therapeutics.

Source: https://medium.com/@asimov_io/asimov-selected-by-darpa-to-develop-artificial-intelligence-design-engine-for-synthetic-biology-a7a3ab81f054

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The Biological Technologies Office (BTO) is a technical office at DARPA, focused on leveraging advances in engineering and information science to advance and reshape biotechnology for technological superiority. BTO is responsible for all neurotechnology, human-machine interface, human performance, infectious disease, and synthetic biology programs within DARPA.

BTO aims to bring together cutting-edge technologists, researchers, startups, and industry to solve critical problems and drive technological revolutions.

Reference Articles

1 National Strategy for Synthetic Biology (Book Introduction)
Marcus A. Cunningham and John P. Geis II

https://www.jstor.org/stable/26937411#metadata_info_tab_contents

Abstract
We are experiencing a technological revolution in biotechnology that will change the way we live as much as any technological advancement in human history. Advances in gene sequencing, gene editing, and gene synthesis have changed our relationship with the building blocks of our lives. This new science, synthetic biology, is in its early stages, but clear threats and opportunities for U.S. national security have already emerged. It promises advances in materials science, manufacturing, logistics, sensor technology, medicine, and healthcare, while simultaneously increasing human potential and the severity of human augmentation—creating pandemics through the unintended consequences of genetic experiments or improved biological weapons. This article proposes a National Security Strategy for Synthetic Biology (NSSB) to protect the homeland and promote American strength by building security into synthetic biology and making synthetic biology an investment priority. The United States can achieve greater security by regulating and managing synthetic biology to prevent unintended consequences, and by investing in people and industry to maintain a security advantage in the field.

2 According to DARPA, synthetic biology is the core science of future defense technology.
To introduce some of the recent programs:

● Genetic recombination research through genetic programming
● Biological design (creating organisms genetically engineered to produce intended biological effects)
● Development of an artificial intelligence design engine for synthetic biology