Math and AI to speed drug discovery and predict viral changes

Discovery-Driven Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence for Biosciences and Drug Discovery

NIH-funded research Michigan State University · NIH-11140373

This project builds math-powered AI tools to find better drugs and forecast how viruses like SARS-CoV-2 may change, aiming to help patients and public health.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionMichigan State University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (East Lansing, United States)
Project IDNIH-11140373 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

From my perspective as a patient, the team is creating advanced AI that uses deep math (like topology and geometry) and virus genetic data to spot important viral mutations and suggest drug candidates. Much of the work is computational, pairing human-proteome information with automated AI pipelines to prioritize molecules and guide laboratory evolution experiments. The team has combined forecasting of viral changes with computer-aided drug design to speed up discovery efforts. If you can share health data or samples, those contributions could feed models that improve predictions and drug selection.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People with current or past SARS‑CoV‑2 infection or those willing to donate viral samples or related health data would be most relevant for participation.

Not a fit: Patients without COVID‑19 or those who do not provide data or samples are unlikely to receive direct benefits from this grant.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could speed up the discovery of treatments and give early warnings about dangerous viral variants that affect patients.

How similar studies have performed: The team has prior successes predicting key SARS‑CoV‑2 mutations early in the pandemic and performing well in international computer-aided drug design challenges, so the approach has promising precedent.

Where this research is happening

East Lansing, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.