"Yeah Mr. White! Yeah Science!"
A few months ago, the world was swept by lightning flight of news about the beginning of genetic modifications of human embryos by scientists from China (see here). The experiments used a known and effective method of gene editing in living organisms called CRISPR. It allows you to delete, replace or add new parts of the genome at your choice.
Scientists want to eliminate all genetic defects and improve people already at the embryonic level. However, for this to happen at all, you need to do amazing calculations that allow professionals to quickly find, identify and then use cells.
Scientists from the Allen Institute of brain Sciences in the USA have prepared a three-dimensional catalogue of stem cells and modified versions (CRISPR method) with the help of artificial intelligence. Such a basis will allow researchers to predict the occurrence of cell changes that lead to genetic defects and serious diseases.
The specialists turned the somatic cells into stem cells and then marked them with individual organellas so that they would be visible to the artificial intelligence. In this way, they have managed to create their three-dimensional structures and add them to the world catalogue.
It already contains thousands of photos of stem cells at different stages of their development. Scientists want to gradually develop their base, which will allow more accurate and quicker diagnosis of the occurrence of defects and diseases, and then eliminate them from the genome, making people healthier.
The Allen Institute of brain science was founded by Paul Allen, founder of Microsoft and is primarily dedicated to developing new therapies for various diseases associated with stem cell use and genetic modification.