ABU DHABI, UAE – Scientists at New York University Abu Dhabi have developed a new tool for artificial intelligence applications called LA⁴SR.
Which can quickly identify proteins that were previously unknown in microalgae.
They are small organisms that produce a lot of oxygen on Earth and support entire aquatic ecosystems.
This breakthrough allows scientists to accelerate the search for new natural compounds and enzymes that could support clean energy solutions in the future.
Researchers will also be able to better understand how microorganisms adapt to changing environments and open up new possibilities for monitoring water quality and tracking how ecosystems respond to climate change.
Microalgae are a requirement for life on the planet.
However, many of its proteins are difficult to detect because they are mixed with proteins from other microorganisms.
To solve this problem, the NYU Abu Dhabi team trained an AI system to decode proteins in the way a language model handles text.
As a result, the LA⁴SR tool can differentiate between real algal proteins and misleading extraneous data with almost complete accuracy.
Then, artificial intelligence performs this analysis at a speed about ten thousand times faster than the current one.
Microalgae are among the most important organisms on Earth, but many of their properties remain hidden, said Kourosh Salehi Ashtiani, associate professor of biology at New York University Abu Dhabi.
With the LA⁴SR instrument, we can see these proteins clearly, allowing us to explore the basis of life in our oceans with unprecedented speed and detail, explained David Neeson, senior research scientist at New York University Abu Dhabi and lead author of the study.
The LA⁴SR tool represents an important step in efforts to uncover the role of Earth’s smallest organisms in supporting life on the planet.
New York University is ranked among the top 31 universities in the world by Times Higher Education.
Which places New York University Abu Dhabi in first place among the world-ranked universities in the UAE.
The university is proud of its graduates, including 24 Rhodes Scholar graduates, reflecting the academic level of NYU Abu Dhabi graduates.
According to the Nature Index, New York University Abu Dhabi ranks first in the country in terms of the number of research papers published in the most important scientific journals.
