Research

AI and biosecurity

We work at the intersection of AI, biology, and national security, developing approaches to understand biological systems and evaluating the benefits and biosecurity risks of artificial intelligence. We study whether advanced AI models expand people’s ability to design and troubleshoot biological experiments, and how well biology benchmarks predict that assistance. In collaboration with other AI researchers at SDS, we also investigate ways to reduce harmful capabilities while preserving useful scientific applications. We work with UVA’s National Security Data and Policy Institute to connect empirical findings with decisions about AI safeguards and deployment.

Computational biology and genetic epidemiology

We collaborate with health researchers in the School of Medicine and Biocomplexity Institute on computational biology, public health, and genetic epidemiology. We also develop and apply methods in computational biology and genetic epidemiology to understand how genetic variation and gene regulation contribute to human disease.

Collaborations

We collaborate with the UVA School of Medicine, Biocomplexity Institute, and National Security Data and Policy Institute, as well as private industry.