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Bai J, Mosbach S, Taylor CJ, Karan D, Lee KF, Rihm SD, Akroyd J, Lapkin AA, Kraft M. A dynamic knowledge graph approach to distributed self-driving laboratories. Nat Commun 2024; 15:462. [PMID: 38263405 PMCID: PMC10805810 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44599-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The ability to integrate resources and share knowledge across organisations empowers scientists to expedite the scientific discovery process. This is especially crucial in addressing emerging global challenges that require global solutions. In this work, we develop an architecture for distributed self-driving laboratories within The World Avatar project, which seeks to create an all-encompassing digital twin based on a dynamic knowledge graph. We employ ontologies to capture data and material flows in design-make-test-analyse cycles, utilising autonomous agents as executable knowledge components to carry out the experimentation workflow. Data provenance is recorded to ensure its findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability. We demonstrate the practical application of our framework by linking two robots in Cambridge and Singapore for a collaborative closed-loop optimisation for a pharmaceutically-relevant aldol condensation reaction in real-time. The knowledge graph autonomously evolves toward the scientist's research goals, with the two robots effectively generating a Pareto front for cost-yield optimisation in three days.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaru Bai
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge, CB3 0AS, UK
| | - Sebastian Mosbach
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge, CB3 0AS, UK
- Cambridge Centre for Advanced Research and Education in Singapore (CARES), 1 Create Way, CREATE Tower, #05-05, Singapore, 138602, Singapore
| | - Connor J Taylor
- Astex Pharmaceuticals, 436 Cambridge Science Park Milton Road, Cambridge, CB4 0QA, UK
- Innovation Centre in Digital Molecular Technologies, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Dogancan Karan
- Cambridge Centre for Advanced Research and Education in Singapore (CARES), 1 Create Way, CREATE Tower, #05-05, Singapore, 138602, Singapore
| | - Kok Foong Lee
- CMCL Innovations, Sheraton House, Cambridge, CB3 0AX, UK
| | - Simon D Rihm
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge, CB3 0AS, UK
- Cambridge Centre for Advanced Research and Education in Singapore (CARES), 1 Create Way, CREATE Tower, #05-05, Singapore, 138602, Singapore
| | - Jethro Akroyd
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge, CB3 0AS, UK
- Cambridge Centre for Advanced Research and Education in Singapore (CARES), 1 Create Way, CREATE Tower, #05-05, Singapore, 138602, Singapore
| | - Alexei A Lapkin
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge, CB3 0AS, UK
- Cambridge Centre for Advanced Research and Education in Singapore (CARES), 1 Create Way, CREATE Tower, #05-05, Singapore, 138602, Singapore
- Innovation Centre in Digital Molecular Technologies, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Markus Kraft
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge, CB3 0AS, UK.
- Cambridge Centre for Advanced Research and Education in Singapore (CARES), 1 Create Way, CREATE Tower, #05-05, Singapore, 138602, Singapore.
- School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Drive, 637459, Singapore, Singapore.
- The Alan Turing Institute, London, NW1 2DB, UK.
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Cavasotto CN, Di Filippo JI. The Impact of Supervised Learning Methods in Ultralarge High-Throughput Docking. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:2267-2280. [PMID: 37036491 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c01471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Abstract
Structure-based virtual screening methods are, nowadays, one of the key pillars of computational drug discovery. In recent years, a series of studies have reported docking-based virtual screening campaigns of large databases ranging from hundreds to thousands of millions compounds, further identifying novel hits after experimental validation. As these larg-scale efforts are not generally accessible, machine learning-based protocols have emerged to accelerate the identification of virtual hits within an ultralarge chemical space, reaching impressive reductions in computational time. Herein, we illustrate the motivation and the problem behind the screening of large databases, providing an overview of key concepts and essential applications of machine learning-accelerated protocols, specifically concerning supervised learning methods. We also discuss where the field stands with these novel developments, highlighting possible insights for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio N Cavasotto
- Computational Drug Design and Biomedical Informatics Laboratory, Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional (IIMT), CONICET-Universidad Austral, Av. Juan Domingo Perón 1500, B1629AHJ Pilar, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas, and Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Austral, Av. Juan Domingo Perón 1500, B1629AHJ Pilar, Argentina
- Austral Institute for Applied Artificial Intelligence, Universidad Austral, Av. Juan Domingo Perón 1500, B1629AHJ Pilar, Argentina
| | - Juan I Di Filippo
- Computational Drug Design and Biomedical Informatics Laboratory, Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional (IIMT), CONICET-Universidad Austral, Av. Juan Domingo Perón 1500, B1629AHJ Pilar, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas, and Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Austral, Av. Juan Domingo Perón 1500, B1629AHJ Pilar, Argentina
- Austral Institute for Applied Artificial Intelligence, Universidad Austral, Av. Juan Domingo Perón 1500, B1629AHJ Pilar, Argentina
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Taguchi S, Suda Y, Irie K, Ozaki H. Automation of yeast spot assays using an affordable liquid handling robot. SLAS Technol 2022; 28:55-62. [PMID: 36503082 DOI: 10.1016/j.slast.2022.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The spot assay of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an experimental method that is used to evaluate the effect of genotypes, medium conditions, and environmental stresses on cell growth and survival. Automation of the spot assay experiments from preparing a dilution series to spotting to observing spots continuously has been implemented based on large laboratory automation devices and robots, especially for high-throughput functional screening assays. However, there has yet to be an affordable solution for the automated spot assays suited to researchers in average laboratories and with high customizability for end-users. To make reproducible spot assay experiments widely available, we have automated the plate-based yeast spot assay of budding yeast using Opentrons OT-2 (OT-2), an affordable liquid-handling robot, and a flatbed scanner. We prepared a 3D-printed mount for the Petri dish to allow for precise placement of the Petri dish inside the OT-2. To account for the uneven height of the agar plates, which were made by human hands, we devised a method to adjust the z-position of the pipette tips based on the weight of each agar plate. During the incubation of the agar plates, a flatbed scanner was used to automatically take images of the agar plates over time, allowing researchers to quantify and compare the cell density within the spots at optimal time points a posteriori. Furthermore, the accuracy of the newly developed automated spot assay was verified by performing spot assays with human experimenters and the OT-2 and quantifying the yeast-grown area of the spots. This study will contribute to the introduction of automated spot assays and the automated acquisition of growth processes in conventional laboratories that are not adapted for high-throughput laboratory automation.
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Markossian S, Coussens NP, Dahlin JL, Sitta Sittampalam G. Assay Guidance Manual for Drug Discovery: Technologies That Matter. SLAS Technol 2021; 26:553-554. [PMID: 34813399 DOI: 10.1177/24726303211056338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarine Markossian
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Nathan P Coussens
- Molecular Pharmacology Laboratories, Applied and Developmental Research Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Jayme L Dahlin
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Rockville, MD, USA
| | - G Sitta Sittampalam
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Rockville, MD, USA
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