Why building new proteins from scratch is our new superpower | David Baker

TED Talks Daily

2025/07/25

Overview Shownote Highlights Transcript Chapters Pins

Shownote

The rapidly evolving field of protein design is revealing solutions to some of the world’s greatest problems, whether it's blocking a virus, breaking down a pollutant or creating brand-new materials. In conversation with TED’s Whitney Pennington Rodgers, b...

Highlights

In a conversation with TED’s Whitney Pennington Rodgers, biochemist David Baker delves into the revolutionary world of protein design, where AI is being harnessed to create new proteins with functions that don’t exist in nature. This cutting-edge research is opening doors to solutions for some of the planet’s most pressing issues, from medical advancements to environmental sustainability.

09:41

AI enables designing proteins that can make or break chemical bonds for new solutions

13:37

Designing proteins for environmental sustainability and global health

28:39

Computational protein design will displace traditional antibody development methods

Chapters

How AI is Revolutionizing Protein Design and Tackling Global Challenges

00:00

Designing Proteins for Evolutionary Gaps: From PFAS to Climate-Resilient Crops

13:37

Open Science and the Future: Can AI Replace Traditional Drug Discovery?

21:19

What’s Next? A Glimpse into the Future of Scientific Innovation

35:13

Transcript

Elise Hugh: You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day. I'm your host, Elise Hugh. Could the scientific study of proteins and protein design save the world? For computational biologist David Baker, t...