AI supercomputer to aid Oxford scientists in cancer vaccine research
What's the story
The University of Oxford's Nuffield Department of Medicine has been granted access to one of the UK's most powerful artificial intelligence (AI) supercomputers, Dawn. The team will be using this advanced machine for 10,000 hours as part of a government initiative. Their goal is to analyze tens of thousands of data sets from cancer patients in search of hidden patterns that could aid in vaccine development.
Supercomputer power
Dawn is designed for heavy-duty AI tasks
Dawn is a supercomputer with over 1,000 Intel GPUs and 500 CPUs, specifically designed for heavy-duty AI tasks. It can process large amounts of data quickly, giving researchers an edge in their quest to find solutions to complex problems like cancer. Dr. Lennard Lee, the project lead from Oxford's Centre for Immuno-Oncology, said, "It does feel like science fiction, however it's a reality—it's 2025, this technology is here and we're going to give it a go."
Research strategy
Dawn's speed and scale will aid in vaccine development
Dr. Lee explained that cancer is a complex disease, which makes it difficult to find solutions. He said, "What this means is that we can process huge data sets quickly so we can look at tens of thousands and spot hidden patterns." The speed and scale provided by Dawn are key to their research strategy for developing effective vaccines against cancer.
Collaborative effort
Research team to contribute to Oxford Neoantigen Atlas
The research team also plans to contribute to the Oxford Neoantigen Atlas, an open-access online platform that supports cancer vaccine research across the UK. Dr. Lee said, "What we think we'll be able to do is really pave the way to design vaccines that simply weren't possible before." This collaborative effort highlights how advanced technology like Dawn can drive innovation in medical research and development.