Isambard-AI supercomputer: a breakthrough in the development of drugs and vaccines

The UK is preparing to launch a powerful supercomputer Isambard-AI, worth £ 225 million. Thanks to the use of artificial intelligence, this unique computing resource will become a key tool in the creation of new drugs and vaccines, reports AI4Future.

Professor of High Performance Computing at the University of Bristol, Simon McIntosh-Smith, said that the launch of Isambard-AI will open up the UK to compete at a global level in the field of advanced technologies. It is expected that this summer, when the system becomes fully functional, it will receive the status of the most powerful supercomputer in the country.

"Some components are already working, and we are using them for tasks such as developing drugs and vaccines that will help treat people," Professor McIntosh-Smith told BBC Radio Bristol.

According to him, researchers are working on creating vaccines and therapies to combat such complex diseases as Alzheimer's disease, various forms of dementia, cardiovascular diseases, emphysema, as well as numerous types of cancer.

One of the most important areas of use of Isambard-AI is to assist in diagnostics. In particular, the supercomputer allows significantly improving the detection of melanoma - a form of skin cancer - for people with different skin tones. Thanks to its enormous computing capabilities, the system is able to perform routine tasks that would be too difficult or time-consuming for a person.

The supercomputer also opens up new prospects for research that was previously impossible due to the insufficient power of existing systems. Its implementation promises a revolution in medicine, especially in the development of innovative methods of treatment and diagnostics, bringing humanity closer to overcoming the most difficult challenges of modern healthcare.