October 21, 2023
The University of Toronto’s Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy is building a new autonomous lab which uses artificial intelligence (“AI”), automation, and advanced computing for the autonomous discovery of new drug formulations.
The project employs innovative new ‘self-driving lab’ technologies which allow researchers to specify the desired properties of a material. The lab then uses computer modelling to autonomously predict, synthesize, and test molecular combinations for those properties. This data is fed back into the AI system which learns from each round of testing to improve its predictions, eventually identifying the best candidate.
The Faculty of Pharmacy’s new lab uses self-driving lab technologies to test different combinations of chemicals and iteratively develop the best drug formulations. This innovative approach will allow researchers to evaluate a much larger number of materials, significantly reducing both the cost and time required to identify new formulations which enhance the bioavailability, stability, and efficacy of pharmaceuticals.
Author: Cristin Hunt, 2023/2024 Articling Student-at-Law