AI SCIENCE
A new AI model called RibbonFold is providing fresh insights into how certain proteins misfold, a key factor in brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Developed by researchers at Changping Laboratory and Rice University, RibbonFold zeroes in on amyloids, twisted protein fibres that build up in the brain during neurological decline.
Unlike AlphaFold, which focuses on correctly folded proteins, RibbonFold is made to handle the complex, often unpredictable shapes of misfolded ones.
The team trained the model using existing data on amyloid structures, then tested it against examples it hadn’t seen before.
Science is serving answers
RibbonFold proved more accurate than other AI tools and revealed subtle shifts in protein shape that may explain why symptoms often take years to appear.
Here’s what you should know:
RibbonFold predicts misfolded protein shapes more accurately than AlphaFold.
It may explain the slow progression of diseases like Alzheimer’s.
The tech could support better drug design and new material development.
This breakthrough could help drug developers design treatments that target the most harmful forms of these proteins more precisely.
It also sheds light on how identical proteins can fold in different ways, some of which are more damaging than others.
Imagine your proteins folding wrong and AI calling you out.