The Scientific Frontier

Protein Engineering

3 articles

Editorial illustration for How Directed Evolution Works: Mutation, Selection, and Amplification in the Lab
Biotechnology & Genetics

How Directed Evolution Works: Mutation, Selection, and Amplification in the Lab

Directed evolution engineers proteins with new or improved functions by mimicking natural selection in a laboratory setting. The process involves an iterative cycle of generating genetic diversity, selecting for desired traits, and amplifying the best-performing variants.

Maria Flores·October 29, 2026
Editorial illustration for How AI Accelerates Directed Evolution by Fixing Its Biggest Bottleneck
Biotechnology & Genetics

How AI Accelerates Directed Evolution by Fixing Its Biggest Bottleneck

Directed evolution, a Nobel-winning method for creating new proteins, is significantly accelerated by AI. AI computationally pre-screens millions of protein variants, overcoming the traditional bottleneck of slow experimental screening.

Maria Flores·October 23, 2026
Advanced robotic arms and AI interface in a futuristic laboratory setting, symbolizing breakthroughs in scientific research and automation.
Instrumentation & Robotics

7 Emerging Robotic Systems Revolutionizing Scientific Research

Northwestern University's new DREAM Cloud Lab, backed by a $20 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, expects to synthesize and characterize over 300,000 proteins, generating up to 30 millio

Yasmin Haddad·August 6, 2026