The Biotech Podcast

Computer scientist, Dr Risto Miikkulainen, shows us how we can come up with novel solutions in science by simulating evolution using computers. From bioinformatics to webpage design, the applications of this field are huge.
Image with thanks to Helsingin Sanomat https://www.hs.fi/
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Paper on surprising anecdotes of evolution: https://direct.mit.edu/artl/article/26/2/274/93255/The-Surprising-Creativity-of-Digital-Evolution-A

Microsite on ESP (Evolutionary Surrogate-Assisted Prescription): https://evolution.ml/esp/

Evolutionary Computation software:

• ECJ: https://cs.gmu.edu/~eclab/projects/ecj/
• DEAP: https://github.com/DEAP/deap

Professor Jim Collins talks to us this week about his endeavours in biodetection using Synthetic riboregulators, which have played a significant role in Sars-Cov2 detection. He also brings us through CellNet, which applies network biology to stem cell engineering.
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Photo: Lillie Paquette / MIT School of Engineering
Jim Collins Lab: https://be.mit.edu/directory/james-j-collins

This week Dr Wolfgang Busch, from the Salk Institute, talks to us about the importance of root systems. Can roots make decisions? And if so could they be optimised for distinct functions?
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Busch Lab https://busch.salk.edu/

Salk Institute: https://www.salk.edu/scientist/wolfgang-busch/

AI is often described as a hugely exciting and media-friendly field in computer science, however, parts of it often forget the goals we are trying to achieve. Intelligence Amplification, or IA, is a more realistic goal, where computers are used for augmenting intelligence rather than replacing it. Dr Yoav Freund takes us through this fascinating field and outlines its possible applications in medicine specifically.

• Photo courtesy of the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing
• Simons Institute future of ML panel: https://simons.berkeley.edu/workshops/agenda/3751/panelopen-problemspotlight-talks
• Yoav Freund link: https://cseweb.ucsd.edu/~yfreund/

As exciting technologies emerge, we need to ensure that policies and regulations are in place to ensure practices remain safe, sustainable and help the transition towards a circular economy. Dr Ian Hodge, professor of rural economy at Cambridge, describes how we can manage agriculture in the future; from offering subsidies to introducing carbon credits.