AI-Based Protein Design & Evaluation

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming protein engineering, enabling the design of novel proteins with applications in therapeutics, industrial biotechnology, agriculture, and synthetic biology. AI-driven protein design is an emerging priority in industry, driving the need for professionals who can work with next-generation computational tools to create and evaluate engineered proteins. Students will use state-of-the-art AI-based computational tools to design modified protein sequences and protein structure prediction tools to predict their three-dimensional structures. By comparing engineered and native proteins with biomolecular visualization software, learners assess structural differences and evaluate potential effects on stability and function. Course content and examples explore how computational design can be applied to challenges in biotechnology, medicine, and synthetic biology. Through a final design project and report, students develop the ability to justify protein design decisions, evaluate outcomes, and propose potential biological or industrial applications for engineered proteins.