Perspectives for self-driving labs in synthetic biology.

Self-driving labs (SDLs) combine fully automated experiments with artificial intelligence (AI) that decides the next set of experiments. Taken to their ultimate expression, SDLs could usher a new paradigm of scientific research, where the world is probed, interpreted, and explained by machines for human benefit. While there are functioning SDLs in the fields of chemistry and materials science, we contend that synthetic biology provides a unique opportunity since the genome provides a single target for affecting the incredibly wide repertoire of biological cell behavior. However, the level of investment required for the creation of biological SDLs is only warranted if directed toward solving difficult and enabling biological questions. Here, we discuss challenges and opportunities in creating SDLs for synthetic biology.

Machine learning for metabolic engineering: A review.

Machine learning provides researchers a unique opportunity to make metabolic engineering more predictable. In this review, we offer an introduction to this discipline in terms that are relatable to metabolic engineers, as well as providing in-depth illustrative examples leveraging omics data and improving production. We also include practical advice for the practitioner in terms of data management, algorithm libraries, computational resources, and important non-technical issues. A variety of applications ranging from pathway construction and optimization, to genetic editing optimization, cell factory testing, and production scale-up are discussed. Moreover, the promising relationship between machine learning and mechanistic models is thoroughly reviewed. Finally, the future perspectives and most promising directions for this combination of disciplines are examined.

The medical science DMZ: a network design pattern for data-intensive medical science.

OBJECTIVE: We describe a detailed solution for maintaining high-capacity, data-intensive network flows (eg, 10, 40, 100 Gbps+) in a scientific, medical context while still adhering to security and privacy laws and regulations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: High-end networking, packet-filter firewalls, network intrusion-detection systems. RESULTS: We describe a "Medical Science DMZ" concept as an option for secure, high-volume transport of large, sensitive datasets between research institutions over national research networks, and give 3 detailed descriptions of implemented Medical Science DMZs. DISCUSSION: The exponentially increasing amounts of "omics" data, high-quality imaging, and other rapidly growing clinical datasets have resulted in the rise of biomedical research "Big Data." The storage, analysis, and network resources required to process these data and integrate them into patient diagnoses and treatments have grown to scales that strain the capabilities of academic health centers. Some data are not generated locally and cannot be sustained locally, and shared data repositories such as those provided by the National Library of Medicine, the National Cancer Institute, and international partners such as the European Bioinformatics Institute are rapidly growing. The ability to store and compute using these data must therefore be addressed by a combination of local, national, and industry resources that exchange large datasets. Maintaining data-intensive flows that comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other regulations presents a new challenge for biomedical research. We describe a strategy that marries performance and security by borrowing from and redefining the concept of a Science DMZ, a framework that is used in physical sciences and engineering research to manage high-capacity data flows. CONCLUSION: By implementing a Medical Science DMZ architecture, biomedical researchers can leverage the scale provided by high-performance computer and cloud storage facilities and national high-speed research networks while preserving privacy and meeting regulatory requirements.

The Medical Science DMZ.

OBJECTIVE: We describe use cases and an institutional reference architecture for maintaining high-capacity, data-intensive network flows (e.g., 10, 40, 100 Gbps+) in a scientific, medical context while still adhering to security and privacy laws and regulations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: High-end networking, packet filter firewalls, network intrusion detection systems. RESULTS: We describe a "Medical Science DMZ" concept as an option for secure, high-volume transport of large, sensitive data sets between research institutions over national research networks. DISCUSSION: The exponentially increasing amounts of "omics" data, the rapid increase of high-quality imaging, and other rapidly growing clinical data sets have resulted in the rise of biomedical research "big data." The storage, analysis, and network resources required to process these data and integrate them into patient diagnoses and treatments have grown to scales that strain the capabilities of academic health centers. Some data are not generated locally and cannot be sustained locally, and shared data repositories such as those provided by the National Library of Medicine, the National Cancer Institute, and international partners such as the European Bioinformatics Institute are rapidly growing. The ability to store and compute using these data must therefore be addressed by a combination of local, national, and industry resources that exchange large data sets. Maintaining data-intensive flows that comply with HIPAA and other regulations presents a new challenge for biomedical research. Recognizing this, we describe a strategy that marries performance and security by borrowing from and redefining the concept of a "Science DMZ"-a framework that is used in physical sciences and engineering research to manage high-capacity data flows. CONCLUSION: By implementing a Medical Science DMZ architecture, biomedical researchers can leverage the scale provided by high-performance computer and cloud storage facilities and national high-speed research networks while preserving privacy and meeting regulatory requirements.