How scientists in Asia are rewriting biology with AI

In today’s post:

• 5 breakthroughs powered by AlphaFold in Asia

• A smarter way to shop with images, prompts, and logic

• A new model for proactive lung care in India

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RESEARCH

The AI tool scientists actually use.

Google DeepMind’s AlphaFold isn’t just a scientific marvel, it’s a tool that’s quietly transforming research labs across Asia-Pacific. Five years after it launched, AlphaFold has helped map millions of protein structures. And for researchers here, it’s opening doors that didn’t exist before.

Here’s everything you need to know:

• In Malaysia, researchers are using AlphaFold to study melioidosis, a deadly but often overlooked disease. Their work could lead to new treatments for a bacteria that kills 90,000 people a year.

• In Singapore, a team visualized a Parkinson’s-related protein in 3D, revealing how the immune system disrupts its function, a step toward earlier diagnosis.

• In Korea, scientists used AlphaFold to uncover a hidden region of a protein involved in DNA organization, giving new insight into cancer development.

• In Taiwan, researchers predicted and then confirmed a never-before-seen protein shape: the “71-torus knot.” It’s one of the most complex folds ever documented.

• And in Japan’s hot springs, AlphaFold helped scientists identify a new family of viruses, expanding our understanding of molecular evolution.

AlphaFold didn’t just predict protein shapes, it unlocked a new way of doing science. These stories show what happens when powerful tools meet local curiosity. This isn’t the future of biology, it’s already here.

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PROFITS

Onton raises $7.5M to take AI shopping beyond furniture

Onton, formerly Deft, just raised $7.5 million to expand its AI-powered shopping platform into apparel and electronics. Its secret? A blend of visual search, real-world logic, and a better understanding of what people actually want.

Here’s everything you need to know:

• Onton grew from 50,000 to over 2 million monthly users by simplifying how people shop for furniture using AI.

• Now, it’s expanding into apparel and eventually electronics with the same intelligent approach.

• Unlike most AI tools, Onton uses a “neuro-symbolic” model, mixing logic and learning to avoid hallucinations.

• It understands subtle details, like which fabrics are better for pets or how product names vary across sites.

• Users can upload images, generate room setups, and explore design ideas with an infinite canvas feature.

• This model doesn’t just guess, it learns with every search, improving recommendations over time.

• As a result, Onton claims 3–5x higher conversion rates than traditional e-commerce platforms.

Most online shopping tools focus on filters and price sliders. Onton is building something more human, an interface that learns, adapts, and helps you think through a purchase. It’s not just what you want, it’s what you didn’t know you needed.

BREAKTHROUGH

Yashoda Hospital launches AI clinic to spot lung cancer early

Yashoda Hospital in Hyderabad just launched a first-of-its-kind AI-powered Lung Nodule Clinic. The goal? Catch lung cancer and other diseases earlier before symptoms show up.

Here’s everything you need to know:

• Lung cancer remains one of India’s deadliest cancers, largely because it’s diagnosed too late.

• India lacks a national screening program, so early signs are often missed in routine imaging.

• Yashoda Hospital’s new clinic uses Qure.ai’s AI to flag subtle nodules on chest X-rays.

• Over 17,000 scans have already been analyzed, identifying nearly 1,000 potential issues.

• A structured workflow from AI flag to nurse navigator to CT scan ensures patients don’t fall through the cracks.

• The clinic has already confirmed dozens of serious diagnoses, including lung cancer and tuberculosis.

• Doctors say this model proves how clinical AI can scale across hospitals to boost early detection and better outcomes.

India’s healthcare system often waits until symptoms appear. This clinic flips that model by embedding intelligence into routine care, it shows how tech can make early detection the norm, not the exception.

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