Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 14, 2025
Automation of the Micronucleus Assay Using Imaging Flow Cytometry and Artificial Intelligence
Published on: January 27, 2023
Fighting COVID-19 with Artificial Intelligence
Stefania Monteleone1, Tahsin F Kellici2, Michelle Southey2
1Evotec (UK) Ltd., Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK. stefania.monteleone@evotec.com.
Abstract:
The development of vaccines for the treatment of COVID-19 is paving the way for new hope. Despite this, the risk of the virus mutating into a vaccine-resistant variant still persists. As a result, the demand of efficacious drugs to treat COVID-19 is still pertinent. To this end, scientists continue to identify and repurpose marketed drugs for this new disease. Many of these drugs are currently undergoing clinical trials and, so far, only one has been officially approved by FDA. Drug repurposing is a much faster route to the clinic than standard drug development of novel molecules, nevertheless in a pandemic this process is still not fast enough to halt the spread of the virus. Artificial intelligence has already played a large part in hastening the drug discovery process, not only by facilitating the selection of potential drug candidates but also in monitoring the pandemic and enabling faster diagnosis of patients. In this chapter, we focus on the impact and challenges that artificial intelligence has demonstrated thus far with respect to drug repurposing of therapeutics for the treatment of COVID-19.
Insights
Artificial intelligence (AI) accelerates drug repurposing for COVID-19 treatment, addressing the need for effective therapies against evolving variants. AI aids in identifying drug candidates and monitoring the pandemic, though challenges remain in its application.
Area of Science:
- Computational biology and pharmacology
- Infectious disease research
- Artificial intelligence in medicine
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic necessitates rapid development of effective treatments.
- Vaccine development offers hope, but viral mutations pose a continuous threat, maintaining the demand for therapeutic drugs.
- Drug repurposing presents a faster alternative to novel drug discovery but is still insufficient for pandemic control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on accelerating drug repurposing for COVID-19 therapeutics.
- To identify the challenges encountered in applying AI to drug repurposing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- To highlight AI's role in drug candidate selection, pandemic monitoring, and patient diagnosis.
Main Methods:
- Review of AI applications in identifying and repurposing existing drugs for COVID-19 treatment.
- Analysis of AI's contribution to hastening the drug discovery pipeline.
- Assessment of AI's role in epidemiological surveillance and diagnostic support.
Main Results:
- AI has significantly expedited the identification of potential drug candidates for COVID-19 repurposing.
- AI tools have been instrumental in monitoring pandemic spread and improving diagnostic speed.
- Despite AI's benefits, challenges persist in its integration and effectiveness for rapid therapeutic deployment.
Conclusions:
- Artificial intelligence is a critical tool in the fight against COVID-19, particularly in accelerating drug repurposing efforts.
- Continued research and development are needed to overcome challenges and fully leverage AI's potential in combating viral threats.
- AI's multifaceted role extends from drug discovery to pandemic management, underscoring its importance in public health crises.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Issues And Trends In Healthcare Delivery System
Cost Containment
Payment for healthcare services has historically promoted adoption of costly and often unnecessary or inefficient...
01:16Non-equilibrium in the Cell