Novo Nordisk Foundation and NVIDIA to Launch a State-of-the-Art National AI Research Centre
A collaboration between the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO), and NVIDIA will create a national AI innovation centre in Denmark. The goal of the innovation centre is to drive research and innovation in areas such as life science, quantum computing, and healthcare.
Novo Nordisk Foundation has spearheaded this project by investing approximately DKK 600 million towards the initial cost of the centre. While the EIFO has contributed an extra DKK 100 million.
Denmark's rich digital healthcare data is a critical asset for the centre's work in drug discovery and precision medicine. These existing datasets position Denmark as a strong contributor to life sciences research.
From a strategic standpoint, this partnership is a smart way of elevating Denmark's global standing at the forefront of cutting-edge technology. In a press release, Morten Bødskov, Danish Minister of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, reiterated this point by stating: "I am pleased to see both public and private sectors in Denmark investing in transformative technologies like supercomputers, which will undoubtedly boost our competitive edge on the world stage."
Researchers will have the opportunity to work alongside expert teams at NVIDIA to develop solutions to multi-faceted problems within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. For example, NVIDIA BioNeMo is a generative AI platform that assists in accelerating protein-based drug discovery and design. NVIDIA CUDA Quantum is an open-source hybrid quantum computing platform that will develop error-free quantum computing. These platforms can streamline and speed up the drug discovery process.
Related:
- Using AI to Drive Drug Design: Maximising the Impact of Big Data with Computer Aided Drug Discovery
- Leading Perspectives on Using AI Tools to Drive Drug Design
- Using Breakthrough Computational Tools for Drug Design and Discovery: AI/ML and Quantum Computing
Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, CEO of the Novo Nordisk Foundation further highlights the importance of capitalising on AI, he said: "Drug discovery, disease diagnosis, and treatment, as well as complicated life science challenges, are examples of areas where extreme AI computing power can enable positive transformation of our society."
The AI innovation centre will host, Gefion, an AI supercomputer that is expected to be one of the top supercomputers in the world. Eviden, a unit of the Atos Group, will deliver and install the computer. Gefion is expected to be ready for pilot projects before the end of 2024, with the centre fully operational in early 2025.
This technology could be revolutionary, not solely in the field of drug discovery but also in areas such as the green transition and data sovereignty. This AI centre will reinforce Denmark's status as a key player in the drug discovery and development market.
