Creating automated labs to design and test proteins quickly
Official title: Self-driving laboratories for autonomous exploration of protein sequence space
Funded at University of Wisconsin-Madison · NIH-10931464 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on creating smart labs that use artificial intelligence to design and improve proteins for medicine, which could help speed up the development of new treatments and therapies for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project start | September 19, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $349,163 |
| NIH project number | 5R01GM150929-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10931464 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for benefiting from this research include individuals with conditions that could be treated with novel biomedicines or therapies developed from engineered enzymes.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions that do not involve protein-based therapies or biomedicine may not receive direct benefits from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to develop fully autonomous laboratories that can engineer enzymes for use in medicine and biotechnology. By using artificial intelligence, the project mimics the work of protein engineers, allowing the system to understand how protein sequences relate to their structure and function. The labs will automate the process of designing, testing, and optimizing proteins, significantly speeding up research and development in these fields. Patients may benefit from faster advancements in treatments and therapies that rely on engineered proteins.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to quicker development of new therapies and treatments that utilize engineered proteins.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown success in automating protein engineering processes, indicating that this approach has potential for significant advancements.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Romero, Philip Anthony — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Romero, Philip Anthony
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.