Brian Hie
Assistant Professor
Chemical Engineering and Data Science
I find working at the intersection of multiple disciplines to be incredibly thrilling and rewarding.
In particular, my lab and research are focused on advancing the state-of-the-art in machine learning models and then using those models to discover and design new biomolecules. Doing so requires keeping up to date with fast-moving developments in machine learning and being fluent enough in these methods to contribute new advances as well, while also understanding the complexity of biology and the nuances of actually making something new in the lab.
One fond memory I have from graduate school was when I was developing a new machine learning model for predicting whether a small molecule drug would inhibit a type of protein called a kinase. I had done some simulations that said our model would work, but taking the leap and evaluating the model on its ability to discover never-before-seen interactions was still anxiety-inducing. I remember getting the experimental results showing that my model discovered new and strong interactions, and in that moment I was elated and really felt the joy of discovery.
In my research now, I continue to enjoy making connections between disciplines that also translate into real-world impact. I have recently been developing a class of models originally used to understand and generate human language, but now to understand and generate the “biological language” of DNA and proteins. These algorithms have already started to lead to rapid progress in our ability to design more complex biological systems. Hopefully, these designs will lead to better ways of controlling biology and fighting diseases that have long eluded us.
