Machine learning-driven discovery of virulence factors in fungal pathogens

Fungal infections are a growing global threat to human health, agriculture, and biodiversity. Despite their impact, these pathogens remain understudied compared to bacteria and viruses, leading to a shortage of effective diagnostic tools and treatments. As healthcare costs rise and drug resistance increases, there is an urgent need to understand how fungi cause disease.

This research project aims to address this challenge by using machine learning (ML) models to analyse public genetic databases of fungi and humans to identify virulence factors – genes and proteins in fungi that enable them to infect humans. We will also investigate whether certain human genetic traits increase susceptibility to fungal infections. This approach could lead to better prevention strategies and personalised treatments for those at higher risk.

The project’s main objectives are to identify fungal virulence factors, explore human genetic susceptibility, validate findings through lab experiments and develop novel therapeutic treatments. We then plan to expand these ML approaches to the study of bacterial pathogens – addressing the critical issue of antibiotic resistance.

Expected outcomes include advancing scientific knowledge of fungal biology and host-pathogen interaction, identifying potential drug targets, developing novel and innovative therapies and improved diagnostics, and contributing to efforts against antimicrobial resistance.

Identifying potential therapeutic targets may open the door to the development of patentable drug candidates offering opportunities for commercialisation and industry partnerships. This research could also benefit agriculture and biodiversity conservation by addressing fungal threats to crops and wildlife.

MDAP's expertise in data management, analysis, visualisation, machine learning and compute infrastructure is vital for this project. They will lead the development of ML models, assist in handling complex datasets, and aid in the interpretation and communication of these results to researchers, industry, policy makers and the public.

This research has the potential to significantly impact the field of infectious diseases by enhancing our ability to respond to emerging health threats and providing new avenues for treatment and prevention – ultimately improving patient outcomes and public health.