The University of Surrey has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) model that identifies chemical compounds that promote healthy ageing, which could help the development of pharmaceuticals for human lifespan extension.
In a paper published in Scientific Reports, a team of chemists from Surrey built a machine learning model based on the information from the DrugAge database to predict whether a compound can extend the life of Caenorhabditis elegans, a translucent worm whose metabolism is similar to humans. Because the worm has such a short lifespan, the researchers were able to test the effectiveness of the compounds.
The AI model identified three compounds that have an 80 percent chance of increasing the lifespan of elegans:
- flavonoids (anti-oxidant pigments found in plants that promote cardiovascular health, examples include certain spices and herbs),
- fatty acids (such as omega 3), and
- organooxygens (compounds that contain carbon to oxygen bonds, such as alcohol).
Co-author Sofia Kapsiani, final year undergraduate student at the University of Surrey, said: “Ageing is increasingly being recognized as a set of diseases in modern medicine, and we can apply the tools of the digital world, such as AI, to help slow down or protect against ageing and age-related diseases. Our study demonstrates the revolutionary ability of AI to aid the identification of compounds with anti-aging properties.”
Commenting on the research, lead author Dr Brendan Howlin, Senior Lecturer in Computational Chemistry at the University of Surrey, said: “This research shows the power and potential of AI, which is a specialty of the University of Surrey, to drive significant benefits in human health.”
Source: SciTech Daily
Journal information: “Random forest classification for predicting lifespan-extending chemical compounds” by Sofia Kapsiani and Brendan J. Howlin, 5 July 2021, Scientific Reports.
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93070-6
