Proteins, which are assemblies of numerous atoms forming the building blocks of life, demonstrate cognitive-like responsiveness.

Traditionally, intelligence is thought of as a trait exclusive to complex higher organisms with nervous systems like humans and apes. It involves cognition, learning, and the ability to respond to stimuli with adaptation or intention.

A team from Bose Institute, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) set out to examine whether a molecule composed on an assembly of atoms mimic intelligent behaviour at the very basic level. 

The research led by Prof. Shubhra Ghosh Dastidar, involving his student Nibedita Ray Chaudhuri, worked on TAK1 kinase, a protein known for its role in cellular stress signaling and crucial to immune response, inflammations and even for the survival of cells. 

The discovery, which is now published in Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling is an outcome of the handshaking between Biochemical research and Machine Learning (ML); the latter is a subset of Artificial Intelligence (AI) based methods. The work is a classic example of an interdisciplinary approach and forms a part of a trilogy on TAK1, published during 2023-2025.   

Source:Dst.gov.in