Boğaziçi University is carrying out an important project. The project, named “Language of Life”, aims to analyze proteins, the building blocks of life, with artificial intelligence algorithms.
The project, which was accepted by the European Union, also received 2 million euro grant support.
Stating that the European Research Council (ERC) supports projects that can have a high impact, Boğaziçi University Computer Engineering Department Faculty Member Assoc. Dr. Arzucan Özgür said that she prepared the project together with her doctoral students Gökçe Uludoğan, Burak Suyunu and Enes Taylan.
Experts who express proteins as the language of life consider them as texts written in a special language.
The starting point of the project focuses on decoding these codes. Assoc. Dr. Arzucan Özgür says that they aim to develop new algorithms specific to this language.
Many biological problems are aimed to be solved
Experts from Boğaziçi University underline that the decoding of proteins with artificial intelligence will be a groundbreaking development. Speaking about the purpose of the project, Assoc. Dr. Ozgur said:
“Many things are hidden in this language. Our goal is to find out which part of this protein causes which disease. If we know it, we can develop diagnostic, therapeutic and new drug development strategies for that part directly.”
After the completion of the project, which will last for 5 years, it is aimed to solve many biological problems.
