A Coruña, September 13, 2024.– As part of the 46º Congreso de la Sociedad Española de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular (SEBBM), held in A Coruña from September 3 to 6, 2024, the symposium “AI in Service of Molecular Biology: Perspectives and Challenges” took place, organized by CITIC researchers Carlos Fernández Lozano and Susana Ladra.

The conference explored the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on molecular biology, bringing together AI and bioscience experts to discuss the new opportunities this technology offers in biomolecular research.

AI has revolutionized the analysis of large volumes of biological data, accelerating the study of genetic sequences, the prediction of molecular interactions, and the identification of complex patterns. These advances are improving the understanding of the molecular processes underlying numerous diseases, opening new possibilities in diagnosis, treatment, and drug development.

Specifically, Susana Ladra spoke about the fundamentals and applications of AI in molecular biology, highlighting how advanced algorithms can identify complex patterns and make accurate predictions from biological data. Martín Garrido Rodríguez-Córdoba presented the use of knowledge-assisted machine learning to enhance data analysis, enabling the creation of detailed models of cell signaling and the interpretation of spatial data. Meanwhile, Óscar M. Rueda addressed the integration of classical statistical models with AI in the development of prognostic models for breast cancer, marking a significant advance in cancer research.

Ethical and Regulatory Challenges

The symposium analyzed the ethical implications and regulatory challenges accompanying the implementation of AI in molecular biology. These discussions will be fundamental to ensuring the responsible and equitable use of these advanced technologies.

This interdisciplinary meeting provided an essential platform for the exchange of ideas and collaboration among researchers, bioinformaticians, data scientists, and molecular biology professionals, promoting advances in the understanding and treatment of diseases at the molecular level.