AI optimizes stem cell production for longevity research and disease prevention

Researchers at Northeastern University are using artificial intelligence to optimize the production of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), a breakthrough that could transform regenerative medicine and disease prevention. This AI-driven approach enables scientists to predict how stem cells respond to environmental changes, potentially accelerating treatments for chronic conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia while making the manufacturing process faster and more cost-effective.

How it works: Scientists developed an AI framework that combines mechanistic models with interpretable artificial intelligence to control iPSC cultivation processes.

• To learn the optimal critical parameters for growing an iPSC in a laboratory, the scientists developed a model that can predict cell response to changes in the environment and help control the cultivation process.
• The system uses both existing scientific knowledge and AI to make the manufacturing process “fast, flexible and robust so that if iPSCs need to be differentiated to a different cell type, it doesn’t take a lot of expensive experiments and a lot of time,” explained Wei Xie, assistant professor of mechanical and industrial engineering at Northeastern.

The centenarian connection: Parallel research by George Murphy, a researcher studying aging, focuses on examining centenarians through what he calls “centenarian in a dish” models using pluripotent stem cells.

• Murphy’s research reveals that centenarians have genetic predispositions that help them stay young and healthy by upregulating genes involved in neurogenesis and protein quality control.
• “Centenarians potentially regenerate their existing neurons, or maybe even make new ones, and they have a ‘leap’ mechanism to interrogate and eliminate potential disease-causing protein, like those that actually lead to cognitive decline,” Murphy explained.
• Live cell imaging demonstrates that centenarian neurons have “more stable activity and reduced background noise, better performance, and less overall discord and disarray” compared to normal individuals.

Energy efficiency insights: Centenarian cells operate with remarkable energy conservation strategies that parallel other long-lived mammals.

• “Centenarian neurons also operate in a more energy efficient state with reduced hyperactivity, so less energy, really,” Murphy noted, despite these individuals appearing energetic and robust.
• This adaptation “highlights a parallel strategy employed by other long-lived mammals, like the bullhead whale” focusing on “conserving energy and minimizing damage in a steady state, but preserving robust adaptive capacity (for) when stress arises.”

Why this matters: The convergence of AI and stem cell research represents a fundamental shift from treating diseases to preventing them altogether.

• Murphy poses a critical question: “What if our approach to science, and the medicines that result from it, is completely off?” suggesting focus should shift from disease treatment to prevention.
• The molecular signatures of centenarian neurons “are far more similar to healthy aging brains than to those impacted by Alzheimer’s disease, and these resiliency signatures are more strongly associated with reduced cancer risk.”

What they’re saying: Researchers envision iPSC systems being used to identify new biomarkers of aging and screen novel therapeutics.

• “Perhaps there is a role for IPSC master stem cell modeling of things like aging and longevity, where these systems can be used to identify new biomarkers of aging, or perhaps to employ preclinical screening of novel therapeutics aimed at increasing your longevity,” Murphy suggested.
• He also emphasized traditional health interventions: “Don’t smoke. Exercise. Employ reasonable lifestyle choices, prod your doctor to treat you when you’re feeling good, instead of practicing disease medicine, practice preventative medicine.”