From: mk_thisisit
The field of biological engineering is advancing rapidly, moving beyond mere modification of natural elements to the creation of entirely new biological components and systems. This progress is particularly evident at the intersection of biology and electronics, where the goal is to integrate living systems with electronic devices for novel applications [00:20:37].
Taking Biology Out of the Stone Age
Professor David Baker, a Nobel laureate, likens the current state of biological engineering to the Stone Age, where problems were solved by finding and slightly transforming existing natural objects [00:00:25], [00:09:51], [00:10:24]. Just as humans learned to fly by understanding aerodynamics and building planes rather than modifying birds, the future of biology lies in designing new structures from scratch [00:09:52], [00:10:39]. This shift signifies a move from relying on natural evolution to a direct engineering approach for biological systems [00:00:09].
New Biological Machines
A particularly exciting area of research is the development of new biological machines, especially at the protein level [00:00:41], [00:13:56]. This involves connecting proteins with electronics, an area currently seeing intensive research [00:00:44], [00:19:01].
Synthetic Proteins and Their Potential
A breakthrough moment in this field was the creation of Top7 in 2003, the first protein designed using a computer rather than derived from natural evolution [00:00:05], [00:15:21]. This achievement demonstrated humanity’s ability to create completely new protein structures [00:15:43], opening the door to designing proteins with specific functions [00:16:17].
The “space of possible proteins” is immense, with 20 amino acids allowing for 20 to the power of 100 combinations for a protein 100 residues long [00:04:08]. The challenge is to find optimal solutions within this vast space, such as proteins that can cure cancer or break down plastic [00:04:23], [00:04:32].
Applications of protein engineering are vast and include:
- Medicine: Creating precise drugs that effectively treat diseases while minimizing side effects, and designing universal “Pionki” (likely a transcription error for “proteins” or “compounds”) to strengthen resistance to various threats [00:06:16], [00:06:26].
- Ecology: Designing proteins to break down plastic, neutralize pollution, and remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere to combat climate change [00:06:35].
- Technology: Paving the way for innovative materials and advanced measurement techniques [00:06:51].
Predicting Protein Structure
The ability to predict and design protein structures is a significant recent surprise in science [00:14:23], [00:07:05]. This has been enabled by an extensive database of protein structures (around 200,000) [00:07:32], which serves as ideal material for deep learning methods. These methods analyze data to identify patterns between amino acid sequences and structures, accurately predicting new protein structures [00:07:41]. While DeepMind focuses on predicting protein structures, Baker’s lab focuses on designing them, viewing their work as complementary rather than competitive [00:11:12], [00:11:33].
Digital Senses: The Electronic Nose
One promising application of the convergence of AI and human biology is the creation of synthetic olfactory receptors [00:17:51]. Baker’s laboratory has successfully created the first synthetic olfactory receptor [00:18:04], which opens the door for detecting many different types of molecules [00:18:13].
The current research involves placing sensors that detect molecules directly into silicon devices like computers and cell phones [00:18:50]. This technology aims to transfer the sense of smell into the digital world, allowing for the “smelling” of digital information [00:18:39], [00:19:11]. An “electronic nose” holds immense potential because it can detect far more compounds than a human nose [00:00:51], [00:19:43].
Beyond detection, designed proteins could also catalyze chemical reactions, having a huge impact on technology in the near future [00:18:25].
Current Research Endeavors
Professor Baker’s lab is actively engaged in a wide range of projects, including:
- Designing better medicines [00:01:59].
- Creating sensors and connecting them to electronics [00:02:02].
- Developing new hybrid materials, similar to teeth and bones, which are made of proteins interacting with inorganic compounds [00:02:08].
- Creating catalysts for various chemical reactions [00:02:24].
The Future of AI and Biological Systems
The discussion also touched upon the definition of “superhuman artificial intelligence” (AGI), with the perspective that current systems like GPT chats already exceed human capabilities in recalling facts from a wide range of fields [00:11:55], [00:23:01]. The goal for AGI is to create a computer agent that can perform any task as well as or better than a human [00:22:36]. While external performance may reach or exceed human levels, the concept of artificial consciousness remains a significant mystery, as the nature of human consciousness itself is not yet fully understood [00:23:33].
Ultimately, the future excites Professor Baker, who believes that talented individuals training in his group will continue to achieve amazing things, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in biological computing and its intersection with electronics [00:21:31], [00:21:35].