Leaders: EVO, the First Biological Foundation Model

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Breaking down the most advanced AI systems in the world to prepare you for the future.

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Imagine a world where the next generation of humans is biologically engineered to be more resistant to climate change, for example by handling hot temperatures better.

That, among other fascinating possibilities, is what unwinding the secrets of our DNA could take us to one day, as we develop the capacity to not only comprehend our genome, but also how to edit it to our advantage.

And yet again, AI seems to be the key to such a promise.

EVO has been presented to the world what can be considered our first biological foundation model, a model trained on genome sequences, and the first model that bridges the worlds of ADN, RNA, and proteins, the three fundamental modalities of the central dogma of molecular biology, allowing it to develop exciting capabilities that will, literally, blow your mind.

But first things first, what potential lies behind such a breakthrough?

A Door to Us

To fully grasp the importance of a model like EVO, it might be helpful to perform a small introduction to the underlying biology.

The Basics of DNA

At the foundation of all biological life are molecules that store and transmit information from one generation to the next, guiding the development, growth, and functioning of living organisms.

The core of this biological information system is DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), a long molecule made up of nucleotides.

Each nucleotide contains one of four bases (adenine, cytosine, guanine, or thymine), a sugar molecule, and a phosphate group.

The sequence of these bases encodes genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms, as well as many viruses.

In particular, genes are specific sequences of bases within DNA that provide the instructions for constructing proteins, the workhorses of the cell, while RNA’s main function is to synthesize these proteins based on the instructions from DNA (it also plays other roles, like gene expression).

But why am I telling you all this?

Well, DNA holds the genetic blueprint that determines the characteristics of an organism, and understanding the ‘ins and outs’ of such a blueprint could yield unfathomable benefits to humankind.

But despite significant advances in genetics, the human genome is still poorly understood in many regards.

Indeed, while we have identified the sequence of the human genome, the functions of many genes and the complex interactions between different genomic regions remain practically unknown.

Moreover, variations in the DNA sequence among individuals contribute to a wide range of physical traits and susceptibilities to diseases, but interpreting these variations is often challenging.

Getting answers to such questions would be completely transformational for humanity. Medicine, biotechnology, and our understanding of life itself could be answered, making EVO a groundbreaking moment.

But if developing something like EVO was so important, what took us so long?

A Biological and Technological Problem

Several bottlenecks separated society from EVO even…

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