Nordic Life Science 1
CHEMISTRY // INTERVIEW "Right now, the biggest ch
allenge in protein design isn't the methodology itself, but rather deciding on the most impactful applications," says David Baker. How do you create a new protein? Is it easier to produce proteins for environmental or “There are two main components to our process: computer design and lab synthesis. On the computer we use methods similar to image generation models like DALL-E. For instance, we can input a request to “generate a protein that binds to this component of snake venom” and the program creates a corresponding amino acid sequence (primary structure of proteins). To produce this protein, we first synthesize a gene that encodes this amino acid sequence. While our bodies use natural genes to encode proteins, the antidote we’re designing is a completely new protein, requiring us to create a novel gene from DNA. We then introduce this gene into bacteria, which produce the protein. Finally, we extract the protein and test its effectiveness in blocking snake venom, for example.” What challenges have you encountered in your research? “Well, if you give me a specific protein and ask me to create a binder for it, I can certainly do that. However, there are countless proteins to choose from, so the real question is: which proteins should we target to help cure diseases or improve the environment? Right now, the biggest challenge in protein design isn't the methodology itself, but rather deciding on the most impactful applications. With so many possibilities, it's crucial to determine which projects are truly the most important to pursue.” medical applications? “I think it’s different. In the medical field, you have to go through clinical trials but there's a lot of demand, and you don't need so much protein. Whereas in the environmental field, you don't need to go through clinical trials, but you need to make a lot of protein.” “There’s also a sociological aspect to consider, which is somewhat disheartening given the state of the world today. While we can design these proteins, actually deploying them requires resources that typically come from a company. Currently, it’s easier to get funding for medical purposes than environmental. To date, we've started 21 companies to bring our designed proteins into the real world, and it's simply more feasible to focus on cancer-related projects than on those outside the medical field.” How do you envision the future? “I'm hoping that there will be a whole new generation of medicines which are designed protein medicines. I expect that in sustainability we have designed proteins that help deal with a lot of the environmental problems that we face.” “I guess I'm pretty optimistic that in all these areas, we'll be able to come up with better ways of solving the problems than we have currently in the world.” NLS NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG | 57 PHOTO MICHAEL NALLEY/HOWARD HUGHES MEDICAL INSTITUTE