Mount Sinai and Israel’s Sheba Medical Center announced a three-year partnership with AI tech company NVIDIA to use an AI large language model to explore the human genome. The collaboration between the tech company, Sheba’s ARC (Accelerate, Redesign, Collaborate) Center for Digital Innovation and the Ichan School of Medicine at Mount Sinai aims to decode the majority of the human genome. According to a press release, the goal is to unlock new pathways for disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment and to “accelerate research that can ultimately benefit patients worldwide,” Mount Sinai said in a statement. Why It Matters Dr. Gidi Rechavi, the head of the Sheba Cancer Research Center and the Wohl Institute of Translational Medicine, said in a statement that the majority of the human genome was considered “junk DNA.” But now, he said, it is being recognized for containing critical regulatory and functional elements. Additionally, sequencing individual genomes allows researchers to observe significant differences. And by using a genomic LLM, Rechavi said this collaboration hopes to decipher the basic function of human genomic sequences and to enable the use of their variability as a key to diagnosis and future therapy. Dr. Alexander Charney, the director of the Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine and vice chair of the Windreich Department of Artificial Intelligence and Human Health at Mount Sinai, said in a statement that this collaboration “is an important step toward a future where every person can benefit from the power of whole genome sequencing.” “By bringing advanced AI into genomic research, we’re moving closer to making personalized, precision medicine a reality for all,” he said. What To Know Sheba and the Icahn School of Medicine will contribute extensive genome datasets, AI research capabilities and clinic insights to the project, while NVIDIA will provide advanced computational architecture and AI development platforms, software and other scientific expertise. The goal is to create an AI-driven genomic research engine capable of identifying patterns and regulatory mechanisms that link genetic variation to disease risk and therapeutic response. Mount Sinai said the initiative will be part of the Mount Sinai Million Health Discoveries Program, which is led by Charney and brings together genomics, AI and clinical translation to advance precision medicine in the real world. NVIDIA engineers Dr. Nati Daniel and Dr. Yoli Shavit said the AI has the power to “unlock the secrets of the human genome” and transform health care for billions of people around the world. “The development of a state-of-the-art Genomic Foundation Model (gFM), brings together clinicians, geneticists, bioinformaticians, and AI researchers to tackle one of science’s greatest challenges with NVIDIA’s full-stack AI platform,” they said in a statement. What People Are Saying Eric J. Nestler, MD, PhD, the Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, said in a statement: “This partnership exemplifies the power of global collaboration at the intersection of science, medicine, and technology. By working with Sheba Medical Center and NVIDIA, we are unlocking new possibilities to decode the vast, uncharted regions of the human genome and advance discoveries that will benefit patients worldwide.” Avner Halperin, CEO of Sheba Impact at ARC, said in a statement: “This collaboration unites three global powerhouses to push the boundaries of what’s possible in medicine. Only by combining the unique strengths of the three partnering organizations can we solve one of the toughest challenges in healthcare that touches at the very core of how the human body works. This allows us to take AI to a place where it empowers a fundamental transformation in healthcare-accelerating scientific discovery, strengthening health systems, improving healthcare outcomes globally, and driving new economic value throughout the ecosystem.” Have an announcement or news to share? Contact the Newsweek Health Care team at health. care@newsweek. com.
https://www.newsweek.com/mount-sinai-nvidia-explore-human-genome-ai-access-health-11076167
Mount Sinai, NVIDIA Collaborate to Explore Human Genome with AI
