En esta noticia
A team of scientists from Stanford University in the United States used artificial intelligence for the first time to create viruses that do not exist in nature, according to a study published in the journal Science. The researchers designed 16 synthetic viruses capable of infecting bacteria using a program called Evo 2.
The project was led by researcher Brian Hie. The new viruses, known as phages, proved more effective at eliminating the E. coli bacterium than their natural version, used as a reference model.
How were these viruses created with artificial intelligence?
Evo 2 is a generative artificial intelligence program trained to write genomes, the genetic instructions that shape an organism. Scientists used it to design phages, tiny viruses that attack bacteria instead of human cells.
For safety, the experiment was limited to a nonpathogenic strain of E. coli. Even with that restriction, the AI-generated phages outperformed the natural phage ΦX174.
Among the key aspects of the development are:
- Evo 2 is open source and can be downloaded for free.
- The experiment was carried out in a safe, controlled laboratory.
- The technology could be extended to bacteria and more complex organisms.
What benefits and risks does this scientific advance create?
The finding could drive a resurgence of phage therapy, an alternative treatment to antibiotics used for decades in Eastern Europe. Researchers note that this path is becoming more relevant as antibiotic-resistant bacteria continue to spread.
Health security specialists at Johns Hopkins University warned that the study raises urgent questions. As they explained, current oversight frameworks are insufficient to monitor generative genomic design.