On July 15, 2025, the ScaDS.AI Dresden/Leipzig Meetup brought together researchers, founders, students and companies representatives to find out how Protein Design can be accelerated with Computational AI Methods. The event took again place in the Living Lab Leipzig and special guests of the evening were Fabian Liessmann and Ivan Ivanikov, two of the founders of the startup AI-Driven Therapeutics (AI-DT).

At 6:00 pm, organizer Oliver Welz (Living Lab Leipzig) welcomed all participants and introduced them to ScaDS.AI Dresden/Leipzig. He explained the center’s mission and pioneering work in Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, and Data Analytics. He also introduced the Living Lab as a place that brings science and AI research to life.

From research to startup: Developing the protein design

In the insights session Fabian Liessmann shared how they created the start-up AI-DT as a spin-off from the ScaDS.AI Dresden/Leipzig research area for drug discovery. With the support of the Meiler Lab, they are working on accelerated protein design with computational AI methods.
Although many of the audience had already worked with proteins and protein design, you don’t need to be a professional to be interested in the topic. Proteins are the building blocks of life and are of fundamental importance for all areas of life. Therefore, protein design also offers a very wide range of applications.

Product presentation: AI-supported chatbot for protein design and drug development

Work on proteins is developing very quickly; what was current 5 years ago is often already outdated today. Fabian Liessmann introduced the “Co-Scientist”, an AI-powered platform that acts as an autonomous scientific assistant. The technology is able to solve tasks that would normally take several days in under an hour by combining modern biochemical computational methods for protein engineering with AI. But even the computer is not perfect. Even if everything develops quickly, scientific research always requires human involvement and expertise.

Hands-on workshop: Experience protein design with the AI-DT chatbot

In the following workshop the audience had the possibility to interact with the “Co-Scientist” on their own using specially provided laptops. In small groups, the participants could try out various cases from biotechnological research. Oliver Welz as well as Ivan Ivanikov and Fabian Liessmann provided technical support.
Concrete application examples allowed participants to explore the possibilities of the AI tool, from protein structure issues to real-life use cases. This was complemented by a joint example for illustration purposes.

OpenLab: Discussion, deep dives & networking

After the workshop, participants could join the OpenLab as a space for exchanging ideas and deepening the experience. Ivan Ivanikov and Fabian Liessmann were available to answer questions about technology, business models or scientific potential. The audience took the chance to network with other participants and made valuable contacts in the field of AI & Biotech.

For those inspired by these insights, consider exploring further opportunities to participate in interactive sessions and workshops on AI. Consequently, the Meetup at ScaDS.AI Dresden/Leipzig is a monthly event series and amplifies our collective potential. Learn more and register for the next event.