Job titles of the future: Nature’s drug designer

Tim Cernak, a former pharmaceutical chemist, transitioned his expertise to designing drugs for non-human patients in 2018, driven by a concern for ecosystem health. Cernak, now an associate professor at the University of Michigan, aims to develop pharmaceuticals specifically tailored for animals, contrasting with current practices where human medications are often used, leading to unintended harm. He has worked on treatments for various species, including frogs with fungal infections, Gila monsters with parasites, and bald eagles with avian flu. Cernak leverages artificial intelligence, specifically Google DeepMind's AlphaFold, to visualize protein structures and accelerate the drug design process. This AI tool allows for rapid generation of potential drug candidates that can bind to specific protein structures, a significant improvement over traditional methods. His lab utilizes robotic automation to test up to 1,500 potential drug compounds per day, drastically speeding up the experimental phase. Cernak's work also includes developing treatments for loggerhead sea turtles suffering from contagious tumors. He envisions a future where animal-specific drug development is the norm, ensuring more effective and less harmful treatments for wildlife.