A groundbreaking collaboration between Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Charm Therapeutics will combat global health challenges in tuberculosis through innovative technology, with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

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Source: NIAID

Scanning electron micrograph of Mycobacterium tuberculosis particles (colorized pink), the bacterium which causes TB.

At the heart of the collaboration is AgriLife Research’s extensive research on mycobacterium tuberculosis and Charm’s pioneering deep-learning technology. These technologies will serve research efforts by forging new insights from existing data. The collaboration reflects a commitment to addressing lesser-studied diseases.

AgriLife Research is Texas’ premier agency for agriculture, natural resources and life sciences research. Charm Therapeutics is a leader in 3D deep learning for drug discovery.

Novel compounds

The joint research teams aim to expedite the discovery of novel compounds targeting tuberculosis. This effort can potentially uncover starting points for new treatment and prevention strategies for the pervasive disease.

“We are excited to collaborate with Charm Therapeutics,” said James Sacchettini, Ph.D., the Roger J. Wolfe-Welch Chair in Science and professor in the Texas A&M Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics. “By combining our expertise in structural biology and extensive knowledge of mycobacterium tuberculosis targets with Charm’s cutting-edge AI technologies, we believe we are poised to unlock new opportunities.”

“We see great potential for this collaboration to yield important new understandings in fighting tuberculosis,” said G. Cliff Lamb, director of AgriLife Research. “It represents an important step in our strategic priorities to lead innovation for healthy living.”

Support and the future

Researchers said support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will also be instrumental in essential research in this domain. The collaboration between AgriLife Research and Charm Therapeutics is a testament to possibilities within interdisciplinary partnerships, and it highlights the significant role of AI in advancing medical research, especially in areas that have long been overlooked.

“We are optimistic that this strategic partnership with Charm will lead to significant advancements in tuberculosis research, marking an important step in our ongoing efforts to improve global health outcomes,” Sacchettini said.

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