Teaching AI the Biology of Antibodies Speeds Drug Discovery
Boston University Research Shows Biology-Informed AI Can Outperform Larger Models By Maureen L. Stanton Designing an effective antibody drug is like searching for the right key in a warehouse of locks. Scientists may begin with million— or even billions—of antibody candidates, but only a tiny fraction will recognize and bind tightly to the disease target. […]
BU Researchers Use “Digital Twins” to Predict Language Recovery After Stroke
By Brendan Galvin For people recovering from a stroke, relearning how to communicate can be one of the biggest rehabilitation challenges. For bilingual patients, the challenge is even greater. Which language should their speech therapy focus on? A recent study published in npj Digital Medicine explores how artificial intelligence-powered “digital twins” can help answer that […]
Study Finds Widespread Signs of Wash Trading in NFT Markets
Using machine-learning models and blockchain data, BU researcher Gerry Tsoukalas and collaborators identified suspicious patterns across major exchanges. By Brendan Galvin Non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, became a symbol of the digital asset boom, with buyers spending huge sums on blockchain-based art, collectibles, and virtual items. Yet new research suggests that much of that activity may […]
Boston University’s Ioannis Paschalidis Inducted into 2026 AIMBE College of Fellows
Prestigious Honor Recognizes the Most Accomplished Researchers in Medical and Biological Engineering By Maureen Stanton The American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) has inducted Ioannis (Yannis) Paschalidis into its 2026 College of Fellows. This peer-elected membership is among the highest professional distinctions in the field, honoring the top two percent of medical and […]
Sharing open-source use of PandemIQ Llama LLM code
By Cassandra Kennedy (BEACON) The Biothreats Emergence, Analysis and Communications Network (BEACON) announced public availability of PandemIQ Llama, an open-source, domain-trained large language model designed specifically for pandemic surveillance and biothreat analysis. BEACON, based at Boston University’s Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases (CEID), is a web-based platform and accompanying public health program which aims to address this need by […]
What Will the Climate Look Like in 10 Years?
Elizabeth Barnes Explores how Data-driven Models can Improve Forecasts from Days to Decades By Molly Glass, The Brink Predicting climate is incredibly complex because it depends on huge, constantly changing datasets like temperature, wind, and ocean conditions. Since both AI and Earth science deal with massive data and pattern-finding, combining them can help scientists better […]
From Research to Policy Impact: BU’s Allison Portnoy Models RSV Prevention From Newborns to the Elderly
With NIH support, Portnoy is building the first dynamic model to guide country-specific RSV prevention strategies across all ages By Maureen L. Stanton With flu season upon us, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases are already rising. A leading cause of hospitalization in infants and older adults, RSV sends tens of thousands of people to the […]
How a Low-Cost Soft Robot Is Learning to Perform Surgery Inside a Beating Heart
By Brendan Galvin Researchers at Boston University have developed a low-cost soft robotic system capable of performing delicate procedures inside a living, beating heart, a setting that is far too dynamic for direct human manipulation. Led by Assistant Professor Tommaso Ranzani (ME, MSE, BME) the team demonstrated that a flexible, catheter-based robot can safely navigate and […]
Large Language Models Advance Healthcare and Public Health
By Chloe de Leon, College of Engineering Large language models (LLMs) are rapidly transforming healthcare and public health, moving beyond buzzworthy tools into real-world clinical and research applications. Yannis Paschalidis, Hariri Institute Director and Distinguished Professor of Engineering, and his team at Boston University are at the forefront of that shift, using advanced AI systems […]
City Trees Have Their Own Microbiomes—and Urban Living Is Changing Them
Urban trees play a vital role in maintaining the health of cities and their residents by cooling neighborhoods, filtering air pollution, supporting biodiversity, and enhancing human well-being. However, these benefits are deeply connected to the tree microbiome—the community of microorganisms that supports tree health and resilience. As urbanization increases and cities face growing challenges from […]