How generative AI and 'Photoshop for proteins' are transforming biopharma R&D

Beyond Biotech - the podcast from Labiotech

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is already changing how people research, communicate, and interact, but its biggest impacts on biotech are still to come.

Cradle is a Dutch-Swiss biotech startup founded in 2021 that has developed a web-based software platform leveraging GenAI to accelerate protein design and optimization, aiding scientists in biotechnology R&D. Cradle’s technology integrates AI with wet lab experimentation, doubling the speed of most projects compared to industry benchmarks.

In this episode I talk to Cradle co-founder Elise de Reus to discover how their software platform is putting the ‘tech’ into biotech, and learn how some of the biggest names in pharma R&D are coming to rely on Cradle to accelerate their experimentation and get therapies to patients faster.

01:30 A passion for biotech from a young age

03:20 First experiences in the industry

07:23 Cradle and its mission

09:08 Generative AI at Cradle

10:27 Partnering and collaborations

13:37 Taking generative AI into the wet lab

14:43 A techbio company, not a biotech company

17:36 “Photoshop for proteins”

18:29 Use case: animal free food

20:17 Use case: medicines

23:56 Use case: sustainable materials

25:12 The Cradle business model

28:17 Technical challenges

29:48 Regulatory challenges

31:44 Where AI will have the greatest impact

33:29 The most exciting things to come

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To dive deeper into the topic:

• 12 AI drug discovery companies you should know about
• How AI is shaping clinical research and trials

Chapters

1. How generative AI and 'Photoshop for proteins' are transforming biopharma R&D (00:00:00)

2. A passion for biotech from a young age (00:01:30)

3. First experiences in the industry (00:03:20)

4. Cradle and its mission (00:07:23)

5. Generative AI at Cradle (00:09:08)

6. Partnering and collaborations (00:10:27)

7. Taking generative AI into the wet lab (00:13:37)

8. A techbio company, not a biotech company (00:14:43)

9. “Photoshop for proteins” (00:17:36)

10. Use case: animal free food (00:18:29)

11. Use case: medicines (00:20:17)

12. Use case: sustainable materials (00:23:56)

13. The Cradle business model (00:25:12)

14. Technical challenges (00:28:17)

15. Regulatory challenges (00:29:48)

16. Where AI will have the greatest impact (00:31:44)

17. The most exciting things to come (00:33:29)