STFC Hartree Centre and IBM Collaborate with 2Blades to Advance AI-Powered Crop Disease Resistance Research
Norwich, UK & Evanston, IL – The Hartree National Centre for Digital Innovation (HNCDI), a collaborative programme between the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Hartree Centre and IBM United Kingdom, has announced a new collaboration with 2Blades and The Sainsbury Laboratory (TSL) aiming to revolutionize the discovery and application of plant disease resistance genes through artificial intelligence (AI) foundation models and machine learning (ML). This collaboration will leverage cutting-edge computational tools to enhance agricultural resilience in the face of abiotic threats and global food security challenges.
2Blades, a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating pre-harvest crop losses by advancing and de-risking plant science innovations, operates a translational research group within TSL, a globally renowned institute specializing in molecular plant-microbe interactions. Together, they work to translate fundamental scientific discoveries into practical agricultural applications, delivering safe, effective, and long-lasting disease resistance solutions to farmers worldwide.
At the core of this collaboration is 2Blades’ NLRseek™ Gene Discovery Platform, which accelerates the identification of nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat (NLR)-class disease resistance genes. This project will focus on transcriptomic and genomic data analysis to improve the accuracy and efficiency of gene discovery, with the goal of enhancing crop breeding strategies. Building on past work at IBM, researchers are adapting existing RNA and DNA foundation models, which analyze markers of human disease to now focus on plant disease for agriculture use cases.
The initiative is divided into two key workstreams:
AI/ML-Driven Gene Discovery – Applying advanced AI/ML capabilities to identify and analyze functional NLR disease resistance genes with improved precision.
Development of Digital Tools for Bioinformatics – Developing modular, reusable digital assets that streamline bioinformatics workflows, enhancing automation, scalability, and accessibility for researchers and crop breeders.
This collaboration aligns with the programme’s broader strategy to advance AI applications in bioinformatics, food security, and climate resilience. It builds on ongoing efforts within the Hartree National Centre for Digital Innovation in omics data analysis and biomedical foundation models, extending their impact to agricultural sustainability.
The outcomes of this project are expected not only to improve research capabilities at TSL and 2Blades, but also to contribute valuable tools for seed breeders and agritech stakeholders worldwide. By leveraging AI to unlock new insights into plant disease resistance, this initiative marks a significant step toward strengthening global food security through innovative agricultural solutions.
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For inquiries regarding this collaboration, please contact Wilson Paine at wp@2blades.org