The utility of natural language processing algorithms for understanding and predicting the changes of viruses lies in the adherence of viral structures to a kind of grammar and semantics, MIT Technology Review reported.
With that in mind, researchers have used the algorithms to identify genetic mutations that can allow a virus to evade an immune system without becoming less infectious. This technique could help public health authorities make plans for the future, MIT Technology Review reported.
But at this point, the use of the algorithms is more about pushing science forward than influencing public health practices, MIT Technology Review reported.
“I think biology is on the cusp of a revolution,” said Ali Madani, PhD, a scientist at Salesforce using the algorithms. “We are now moving from simply gathering loads of data to learning how to deeply understand it.”
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