AI-Powered Protein Research Accelerates Crop Innovation at BASF

AI-Powered Protein Research Accelerates Crop Innovation at BASF

(IN BRIEF) BASF is leveraging groundbreaking advances in protein research, driven by the recent Nobel Prize-winning developments in computational protein design and structure prediction. David Baker’s work with Rosetta and Demis Hassabis and John Jumper’s creation of AlphaFold2 are transforming protein research, enabling faster and more efficient development of plant traits and crop protection solutions. BASF is using these AI tools to accelerate R&D, reducing testing efforts and improving the design of solutions for pest resistance and other agricultural needs. The company’s integration of these technologies exemplifies how AI is reshaping agricultural innovation, benefiting both farmers and global food supply systems.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUDWIGSHAFEN, 4-Dec-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — In the realm of protein science, groundbreaking advances are speeding up research and development processes. Recently, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded this year’s Nobel Prizes in Chemistry to David Baker, Demis Hassabis, and John Jumper for their pioneering work in computational protein design and structure prediction. Baker, with the Rosetta software, developed methods for building entirely new proteins, while Hassabis and Jumper, from Google DeepMind, were honored for creating AlphaFold2, an AI model capable of predicting the complex structures of proteins.

These innovations hold immense potential for companies like BASF, where protein research has been a cornerstone of product development for years. By leveraging AI tools like Rosetta and AlphaFold2, researchers can now accelerate the design and optimization of plant traits and crop protection solutions. As Dr. Jürgen Huff, Senior Vice President of Global R&D and Regulatory at BASF Agricultural Solutions, points out, the ability to predict and design proteins more efficiently is essential to developing solutions that can help farmers protect crops against pests, diseases, and weeds. “The breakthroughs in protein design have the potential to drastically reduce the time it takes to develop new crop traits, benefiting the global food supply,” he says.

The power of predicting protein structures lies in the ability to design new protein sequences with precision. At BASF, this has streamlined the protein engineering process, allowing researchers to calculate thousands of potential trait options, such as pest resistance, and select the most effective ones with greater accuracy. Dr. Stefan Seemayer, Team Lead for Computational Protein Engineering at BASF, emphasizes the importance of this approach: “By adopting AI-driven protein modeling early in the research process, we can drastically reduce testing efforts and increase the chances of success.”

Rosetta’s open-source code and the widespread use of AlphaFold2—now employed by over two million researchers across the globe—are empowering a new era of protein-based innovation. BASF, which has already integrated these AI tools into its research pipeline, celebrates the Nobel laureates for their contributions, recognizing the significant impact their work will have on accelerating agricultural solutions for the future.

The Nobel Prizes awarded for advancements in computational protein science signal a transformative shift in how industries like agriculture can address the world’s most pressing challenges, including food security and sustainable farming.

About BASF’s Agricultural Solutions division

Everything we do, we do for the love of farming. Farming is fundamental to provide enough healthy and affordable food for a rapidly growing population, while reducing environmental impacts. That’s why we are working with partners and experts to integrate sustainability criteria into all business decisions. With €900 million in 2023, we continue to invest in a strong R&D pipeline, combining innovative thinking with practical action in the field. Our solutions are purpose-designed for different crop systems. Connecting seeds and traits, crop protection products, digital tools and sustainability approaches, to help deliver the best possible outcomes for farmers, growers and our other stakeholders along the value chain. With teams in the lab, field, office and in production, we do everything in our power to build a sustainable future for agriculture. In 2023, our division generated sales of €10.1 billion. For more information, please visit www.agriculture.basf.com or any of our social media channels.

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 112,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care, and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €68.9 billion in 2023. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com.

Media Contact:

Verena Kempter
External Communications Agricultural Solutions
Tel: +49 15111795961 
verena.kempter@basf.com

SOURCE: BASF