Wal-yan researchers Associate Professor Anthony Kicic, Dr Yuliya Karpievitch, Dr Chris Malajczuk, Dr Joshua Iszatt, Dr Andrew Vaitekenas, and Dr Patricia Agudelo-Romero have been awarded $500,000 for their innovative research, supported by the Western Australian Government’s Future Health Medical Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund.
The FHRI-backed Innovation Challenge – Generative Artificial Intelligence Applications (GAIA) program - provides grants to researchers to find solutions to challenges in health and medical research, innovation, healthcare service delivery, and medical education and training.
The PHAEDRA (Phage bacteriA genomE Diagnostics Recognition via Artificial Intelligence) platform developed by the team was awarded funding as part of the program’s second stage of funding.
PHAEDRA will use in-silico generative AI modelling to predict phage activity against a person’s antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacterial infection. This could save up to five days of waiting for laboratory results – time that can prove crucial for patients waiting for lifesaving treatments.
In 2023, Phage WA received Stage 1 funding ($50,000) from WA’s GAIA grant, supporting feasibility studies on using AI to generate phage-bacteria matches. It then competed for Stage 2 funding and was the sole recipient in the health and medical innovation stream, securing up to $500,000 to fully develop and implement its solution within 12-months here in WA.
The Innovation Challenge and the FHRI’s funding of medical research in Western Australia provides vital grants to researchers working to address some of the most prevalent and pressing health issues.