Why Building New Proteins from Scratch Is Our New Superpower | David Baker | TED

Overview

This conversation with Nobel Prize-winning biochemist David Baker delves into the revolutionary field of AI-driven protein design. Baker explains how his team is leveraging computational tools to create entirely new proteins with unprecedented functions, addressing challenges in medicine, sustainability, and technology. The discussion highlights the transformative potential of this work, its ethical considerations, and its future trajectory.

Notable Quotes

- Proteins can solve almost any problem. The challenge is tackling the ones nature never had to deal with, like plastics or forever chemicals. – David Baker, on the unique opportunities for protein design.

- We’ve gone from studying nature’s proteins to designing entirely new ones that block viruses, break down pollutants, and even sense environmental compounds. – David Baker, on the evolution of his work.

- The most important thing I do is train and mentor amazing people who go on to solve problems I can’t even conceive of today. – David Baker, reflecting on his legacy.

🧬 The Science of Protein Design

- Proteins, described as the workhorses of biology, perform critical functions like nutrient transport, tissue repair, and immune support.

- Traditional protein design was limited by the complexity of natural proteins and the lack of effective methods.

- Baker’s breakthrough involves using AI to design proteins from scratch, starting with a desired function and working backward to create a synthetic gene encoding the protein.

- AI models, trained on 250,000 known protein structures, now generate novel proteins tailored for specific tasks, akin to how image-generation AI creates visuals from prompts.

💉 Medical Applications and Breakthroughs

- Baker’s team has developed the first de novo designed medicine: a COVID-19 vaccine now approved for human use.

- AI-designed proteins are being used to create advanced vaccines for viruses like influenza and to develop targeted therapies for cancer.

- The future of medicine may see protein design replacing traditional methods like antibody screening, offering more precise and efficient solutions.

🌍 Sustainability and Environmental Impact

- Protein design is tackling environmental challenges, such as breaking down plastics, removing methane, and fixing carbon.

- New proteins are being developed to degrade forever chemicals and other pollutants that nature hasn’t evolved to handle.

- Efforts are underway to enhance crop resilience to rising temperatures by designing proteins that stabilize plants under heat stress.

🔬 Technological Innovations

- Synthetic proteins are being designed to mimic biological sensing, such as creating an artificial nose capable of detecting diverse compounds.

- Baker’s team is exploring interfaces between proteins and electronics, enabling applications like environmental sensors embedded in silicon chips.

- These innovations open doors to real-time monitoring and diagnostics, potentially accessible via everyday devices like smartphones.

🌐 Ethical Considerations and Accessibility

- Baker emphasizes the importance of open-source sharing of protein design tools to maximize global impact, particularly in resource-limited regions.

- Safeguards are being implemented to prevent misuse, including monitoring synthetic DNA production to track potential biosecurity threats.

- Despite risks, Baker believes the benefits of protein design—such as combating pandemics and addressing climate change—far outweigh potential downsides.