AI and robots are speeding up the development of new drugs

AI, robots and advanced image analysis are changing the way researchers develop drugs at Uppsala University. Led by Professor Ola Spjuth, a robotisized lab conducts tens of thousands of cell-based experiments every week. With a new method and AI analysis, researchers can now quickly identify how different substances affect cells, and this increases both speed and precision in the development work.

At Uppsala University, researchers have developed a new approach to drug development where robots, advanced microscopy and artificial intelligence all work together. Professor Ola Spjuth, whose field is pharmaceutical bioinformatics, is leading the work with a robotisized drug lab that enables experiments on a scale previously difficult to achieve in a university research environment.

The research group studies how different substances affect cells by staining the cells’ components – a method called cell painting. The images show detailed changes in the structure and function of the cells. With the help of robots, the team can conduct hundreds of experiments in parallel and up to tens of thousands each week.

Speed and precision

The resulting large quantities of data are then analysed by researchers using AI and deep learning. From these analyses, they can identify patterns and predict how different drug candidates affect cells, for example in terms of their efficacy and toxicity. Combining automation and AI increases both the speed and precision of drug development work.

This work started out from the need for more and better data to train reliable AI models. By building a highly automated laboratory environment, the research group has created a contiguous system in which experiments, data collection and analysis reinforce each other.

Skills in multiple fields contribute to the development. Engineers, biologists, chemists and software developers are working together to develop the laboratory environment, robot control and analysis tools. This interdisciplinary collaboration has played a crucial role in building and further developing this advanced infrastructure.

Further development on a commercial scale

This approach has also led to the formation of the company Phenaros Pharmaceuticals, which is developing the technology further on a commercial scale. The goal is to contribute to faster and safer drug development and reduce the need for animal experiments.