Scientists demonstrate first-time use of AI for genetic circuit design

TLDR

A new study from Rice University reports the first-time use of artificial intelligence for genetic circuit design. The researchers developed a new technique called CLASSIC, which makes hundreds of thousands to millions of DNA designs all at once, creating datasets of unprecedented scale and complexity. This technique allows for faster and more accurate predictions of genetic circuit functions, potentially speeding up synthetic biology and the development of biotechnology.

The technique is called CLASSIC — an acronym for “combining long- and short-range sequencing to investigate genetic complexity.” It not only makes finding useful DNA designs — or “genetic circuits”— much faster, but it also creates datasets of unprecedented scale and complexity — exactly what is needed for artificial intelligence and machine learning to be meaningfully deployed for genetic circuit analysis and design.