University of Liverpool Partners with BPGbio to Accelerate AI-Driven Drug Discovery Through Civic HealthTech Innovation Zone

University of Liverpool Partners with BPGbio to Accelerate AI-Driven Drug Discovery Through Civic HealthTech Innovation Zone

(IN BRIEF) The University of Liverpool has partnered with Boston-based BPGbio, Inc. to use artificial intelligence to accelerate the discovery of new medicines through its Civic HealthTech Innovation Zone, analysing large-scale healthcare data to uncover causal links in disease and support precision drug development. The collaboration, which emerged from Mayor Steve Rotheram’s US trade mission, will expand BPGbio’s NAi® Bayesian AI platform and is expected to create jobs while strengthening the Liverpool City Region’s role in the global health-tech sector. Led by an interdisciplinary team including Professors Iain Buchan, Simon Maskell, and Claire Eyers, and Dr Peter Green, the project combines advanced computation, multi-omics research, and secure data environments, with local political leaders framing it as a step toward making the region a global centre for “AI for Good.”

(PRESS RELEASE) LIVERPOOL, 6-Feb-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — A new collaboration between the University of Liverpool and US-based biotechnology company BPGbio, Inc. will see artificial intelligence deployed to speed up the discovery of new medicines, following discussions initiated during Mayor Steve Rotheram’s trade mission to the United States. The partnership, delivered through the University’s Civic HealthTech Innovation Zone (CHI-Zone), will draw on large-scale healthcare datasets to strengthen the development of novel treatments and improve understanding of disease mechanisms.

Under the agreement, researchers will apply advanced computational methods to a broad range of clinical and biological data, including medical imaging, laboratory measurements, genomic and proteomic information, and patient outcomes. By integrating these diverse datasets, the team aims to identify causal relationships within disease processes that could inform the design of more effective therapies and support precision medicine approaches.

The collaboration builds on high-level engagement that took place in Boston in October 2024, when Professor Iain Buchan, Professor Claire Eyers, and Dr Peter Green from the University of Liverpool joined Mayor Rotheram in meeting with BPGbio President and CEO Dr Niven Narain and his team. The outcome of those discussions has now translated into a formal partnership that is expected to generate new employment opportunities in the Liverpool City Region and reinforce its standing within the global health technology sector.

BPGbio is recognised for its use of AI in pharmaceutical research, particularly through its NAi® Bayesian AI platform, which is designed to reveal the underlying drivers of disease rather than relying solely on correlations. The joint programme will enhance the platform’s performance by increasing its speed, scalability, and applicability across drug discovery and precision healthcare, led by an interdisciplinary team at the University of Liverpool.

Professor Iain Buchan highlighted that the CHI-Zone is bringing together academic, industrial, and civic partners to create data-driven solutions to major health challenges. He stressed that the partnership with BPGbio combines cutting-edge Bayesian computation, multi-omics research, and secure data environments to deliver AI systems capable of generating mechanistic insights into disease, rather than purely descriptive patterns.

Dr Niven Narain noted that NAi® has already supported the identification of actionable drug targets in fields such as oncology, mitochondrial disease, and neurology, and that collaboration with Liverpool will further advance its capabilities at the single-cell level. He emphasised that merging BPGbio’s biology-first philosophy with Liverpool’s expertise in causal inference and computational science will help build a more personalised, mechanism-based approach to drug discovery and healthcare.

Mayor Steve Rotheram described the partnership as a direct result of the US trade mission and a strong indicator of growing American investment in the Liverpool City Region. He pointed to recent developments such as Kyndryl’s UK hub in Liverpool as further evidence of the region’s appeal to global technology and life sciences companies. Rotheram reiterated his ambition for the city region to become a global centre for “AI for Good,” prioritising innovations that improve health outcomes, strengthen communities, and create high-quality jobs.

The project will also invest in a multidisciplinary cohort of early-career biodata researchers at the University of Liverpool, alongside established experts including Professor Simon Maskell, an authority in Bayesian inference and high-performance computing; Professor Claire Eyers, a specialist in proteomics and systems biochemistry; and Dr Peter Green, whose work bridges academia and industry in applied AI.

The Civic HealthTech Innovation Zone is funded through the Liverpool City Region Life Sciences Innovation Zone Programme, part of the UK Government’s national Investment Zone initiative, which seeks to position the area as a leading hub for health and life sciences innovation.

Media Contact:

Alison Cornmell
Media Relations Manager – Health and Life Sciences
T: +44 (0) 7771 700680
E: Alison.Cornmell@liverpool.ac.uk

SOURCE: University of Liverpool