Nobel Chemistry Laureate Now Uses AI to Design Molecules Nature Never Made

The AI BioDesign initiative is led by the Allen Institute, a biomedical research nonprofit based in Seattle, together with the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. Among those leading the project is David Baker, who shared the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on computational protein design.

The project rests on the idea that nature has only explored a fraction of what is physically and chemically possible. By combining artificial intelligence with large-scale laboratory testing, researchers aim to design molecules and biological functions that don't exist in nature but are technically achievable.

Potential applications

The resulting databases and models could serve as building blocks for future medicines and technologies. Baker pointed to possible uses such as new treatments for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, enzymes that break down ocean plastic, and tools for cleaning polluted environments or helping crops survive harsh conditions.

Risks and oversight

Speaking with WIRED, Baker said the main risks of designing novel biological molecules are similar to those of other biotechnologies — unintended interactions with living systems, unexpected environmental effects, or misuse. He noted that computational design lets researchers screen for many of these risks before a molecule is ever synthesized, through computer simulations followed by increasingly rigorous lab testing.

Baker said decisions about which molecules to pursue should weigh potential benefits against potential harms: projects addressing major health, sustainability or well-being challenges have a strong case for development, while designs posing serious risks to safety or the environment warrant restrictions. He has advocated for monitoring and logging all synthetic DNA produced, recording both the sequence and its creator, as a practical safeguard against misuse.