This study demonstrates that AI can be incredibly effective in helping us identify new drug candidates – particularly at early stages of drug discovery and for diseases with complex biology or few known molecular targets.
A machine learning model has been trained to recognise the key features of chemicals with senolytic activity. It recently found three chemicals able to remove senescent cells without damaging healthy cells.
Molecular structure of oleandrin. Credit: Mplanine, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Senescent cells, often referred to as “zombie cells”, are cells that have stopped dividing but remain metabolically active. These cells increase with age and secrete harmful substances that can lead to chronic inflammation and affect the function of nearby cells. This contributes to aging and various age-related diseases like heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and certain cancers. Their elimination or reprogramming is a key focus of aging-related research.
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