Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic vision in drug discovery. It’s rapidly transforming every stage of the process, from uncovering disease biology to designing new molecules and optimizing clinical trials. In this podcast from the Science/AAAS Custom Publishing Office and sponsored by AstraZeneca, Senior Editor Erika Berg interviews AstraZeneca’s Chief Data Scientist and Vice President Data Science & AI, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, Jim Weatherall and Stanford University’s Professor of Bioengineering, Genetics, Medicine and Biomedical Data, Russ Altman, on how AI is revolutionizing the way we discover and deliver potentially life-saving therapies. With bespoke AI tools now embedded in research and development, scientists can generate novel insights to help accelerate therapeutic development. But this revolution isn’t happening in a vacuum. Weatherall and Altman delve into why collaboration between academia and industry is essential for accelerating innovation while maintaining scientific rigor, ethical safeguards, and a human-centered approach. They discuss how trust, transparency, and a shared mission are shaping a new collaborative model, one that can drive faster, smarter, and more equitable medical breakthroughs in the age of AI.

Progress in the development of cell therapies for the treatment of a range of diseases is accelerating, helped along by advancements in gene editing and manufacturing techniques. Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has been investing heavily in cell therapy technologies for the treatment of cancer, particularly solid tumors that pose distinct challenges, and is looking to make contributions to patient care. In this podcast from the Science custom publishing office and funded by Astrazeneca, Senior Editor Erika Berg interviews Mark Cobbold, Senior Vice President of Discovery and the Head of Oncology Cell Therapy at AstraZeneca. They explore the future of cell therapy in cancer treatment, the science behind "living medicines," and the vision of scalable, off-the-shelf cell therapies. This episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about the future of oncology and personalized medicine.