Computational Biology: The Next Frontier- Dr. Debarka Sengupta

TechSprouts by Ankur Capital

Computation and AI has grown by leaps and bounds in recent times to become the backbone of Industry 4.0, and there is no looking back. Computational solutions are becoming commonplace and a matter of routine across the board. Listen to Dr. Debarka Sengupta, Associate Professor at IIIT-Delhi and head of the Infosys Center for Artificial Intelligence, as he talks about his journey in computational biology. Starting from a background in physics, Dr. Sengupta achieved pioneering breakthroughs in single cell genomics and big data algorithms.

We also explore various up-and-coming themes in the field, such as the black-box nature of some learning algorithms, federated learning, and the need for specific solutions to Indian problems.

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Discussed in this episode:

(00:00) Introduction

(03:17) Fascination with biology and its mysteries.

(07:50) Computational biology is essential.

(14:30) Deep learning still faces challenges.

(20:40) Focus on simple innovations first (how to solve the challenges).

(26:52) Data integration is key.

(35:39) Leverage strengths, solve local problems.

(43:33) Invest in practical health tech.

(46:36) Government initiatives improving science funding.