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Updated: Sep 30, 2025

Author Spotlight: Streamlining Protein Target Prediction and Validation via Molecular Docking and CETSA
Published on: February 23, 2024
Classical and Machine Learning Methods for Protein - Ligand Binding Free Energy Estimation
Dakshinamurthy Sivakumar1, Sangwook Wu1,2
1R&D Center, PharmCADD, Busan 48060, Republic of Korea.
Abstract:
Binding free energy estimation of drug candidates to their biomolecular target is one of the best quantitative estimators in computer-aided drug discovery. Accurate binding free energy estimation is still a challengeable task even after decades of research, along with the complexity of the algorithm, time-consuming procedures, and reproducibility issues. In this review, we have discussed the advantages and disadvantages of diverse free energy methods like Thermodynamic Integration (TI), Bennett's Acceptance Ratio (BAR), Free Energy Perturbation (FEP), and alchemical methods. Moreover, we discussed the possible application of the machine learning method in proteinligand binding free energy estimation.
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