Participating Lab: U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) tools refinement for pathogen discovery.

Research Opportunity Location:
Fredrick. MD

Research Opportunity Description:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) tools have proven to be highly valuable in pathogen discovery, particularly in the fields of genomics, epidemiology, and diagnostics. These tools leverage large datasets to identify patterns, predict outcomes, and automate processes that would otherwise require significant manual effort. AI/ML tools are especially effective in analyzing genomic data to identify pathogens, including novel or emerging ones. The Center for Genome Sciences is developing AI/ML algorithms in metagenomics, as these tools can process large-scale metagenomic sequencing data to detect and classify pathogens in complex biological samples. AI models are also capable of identifying unknown pathogens by detecting unique genetic sequences or patterns that deviate from known reference genomes. By enabling rapid, accurate, and large-scale analysis of complex datasets, AI/ML tools have transformed pathogen discovery. From identifying novel pathogens to predicting their spread and aiding in the development of therapeutics, these technologies are indispensable in advancing global health and biodefense efforts. Under this program, the intern will be exposed to metagenomic analysis, AI/ML tolls and pathogen discovery pipelines.

Leveraging human-based microphysiological systems (MPS) to investigate threat-agnostic medical defense.

Research Opportunity Location:
Fredrick. MD

Research Opportunity Description:
While traditional list-based defenses against biological threats have their merits, they often fall short when it comes to addressing novel pathogens. Thus, there is an urgent need for agnostic, broad-spectrum medical countermeasures that can effectively mitigate the effects of biological infections. To tackle this issue, the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) is investigating a threat-agnostic medical defense that focuses on host responses. Our approach aims to identify common mechanisms through which biological infections affect physiological responses in Warfighters. Understanding these shared mechanisms will aid in developing broad-spectrum defenses against both known and emerging threats. Normally, due to the severity of the pathogenic agents, this experimentation is performed in animal models, however, translating data obtained from various animal models used in experimentation to human physiology often proves challenging due to significant differences in immune systems. To overcome these limitations, this proposal will primarily focus on human data, leveraging human-based microphysiological systems (MPS). The intern participating in this project will: 1) Learn about different MPS, organoids and organs-in-chips, mimicking lung and liver tissues. 2) Perform gene expression profiling from those MPS (transcriptomics and proteomics) The objective of these projects is to uncover potential targets and define the shared mechanisms between different biological exposures, paving the way for the development of threat agnostic medical interventions.