Summary: 

This week on The Genetics Podcast, Patrick is joined by Slavé Petrovski, Vice President of the Center for Genomics Research at AstraZeneca. They discuss how AstraZeneca is scaling population genomics through massive biobank collaborations, developing AI models for early disease prediction, and pioneering sustainable “green” algorithms to reduce the environmental footprint of large-scale genomic research.

Show Notes: 

0:00 Intro to The Genetics Podcast

00:59 Welcome to Slavé

02:09 Slavé’s career path from business information systems to genomics

04:33 How Slavé decided to move from academia to industry

07:52 Scaling and diversifying biobank partnerships to unlock new genetic insights

12:29 Translating biobank data into predictive and preventive medicine

15:14 Discovering protective genetic variants through global biobank studies

19:13 Leveraging population genetics to identify and validate protective drug targets

23:52 Developing an AI tool (MILTON) for integrating multi-omic and clinical data for early disease prediction

28:12 Redefining clinical trials in a presymptomatic and predictive medicine era

30:49 AstraZeneca’s efforts to make large-scale genomics computing sustainable through green algorithm innovation

39:05 AstraZeneca’s open science strategy and global impact of its shared genomics tools

42:10 Fostering critical thinking and avoiding groupthink in large-scale genomics research

45:30 Looking ahead to the next decade of genomics and precision healthcare

50:01 Closing remarks

Find out more

• MILTON (https://www.astrazeneca.com/r-d/our-technologies/machine-learning-drug-discovery.html)

• PheWAS Portal (https://azphewas.com/)

• Upcoming webcast with deep dive into MILTON & PheWAS (https://www.nature.com/articles/d44224-025-00033-7)

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