skip to main content
US FlagAn official website of the United States government
dot gov icon
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
https lock icon
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Title: Boosting AND/OR-based computational protein design: dynamic heuristics and generalizable {UFO}
Scientific computing has experienced a surge empowered by advancements in technologies such as neural networks. However, certain important tasks are less amenable to these technologies, benefiting from innovations to traditional inference schemes. One such task is protein re-design. Recently a new re-design algorithm, {AOBB-K\textsuperscript{*}}, was introduced and was competitive with state-of-the-art {BBK\textsuperscript{*}} on small protein re-design problems. However, {AOBB-K\textsuperscript{*}} did not scale well. In this work, we focus on scaling up {AOBB-K\textsuperscript{*}} and introduce three new versions: {AOBB-K\textsuperscript{*}}-b (boosted), {AOBB-K\textsuperscript{*}}-{DH} (with dynamic heuristics), and {AOBB-K\textsuperscript{*}}-{UFO} (with underflow optimization) that significantly enhance scalability.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2008516
PAR ID:
10470134
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ;
Editor(s):
Evans, Robin J; Shpitser, Illya
Publisher / Repository:
{PMLR}
Date Published:
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. Cussens, James; Zhang, Kun (Ed.)
    The importance of designing proteins, such as high affinity antibodies, has become ever more apparent. Computational Protein Design can cast such design problems as optimization tasks with the objective of maximizing K*, an approximation of binding affinity. Here we lay out a graphical model framework for K* optimization that enables use of compact AND/OR search algorithms. We designed an AND/OR branch-and-bound algorithm, AOBB-K*, for optimizing K* that is guided by a new K* heuristic and can incorporate specialized performance improvements with theoretical guarantees. As AOBB-K* is inspired by algorithms from the well studied task of Marginal MAP, this work provides a foundation for harnessing advancements in state-of-the-art mixed inference schemes and adapting them to protein design. 
    more » « less
  2. In this paper we share the seemingly ordinary community-building digital technologies that helped facilitate nine days of virtual professional development (PD) on the Electronic Textiles (hereafter e-textiles) unit for Exploring Computer Science (ECS). The e-textiles unit challenges teachers to learn new content about computing by designing functional circuitry in hands-on, personalized crafts, in ways that stimulate inclusive pedagogy and asset-based perspectives of students. Finding the right combination of supportive technologies spanned two years, including planning and two rounds of implementation (2020-2022), with careful reflection for re-design. We decided on a few seemingly basic digital technologies that supported the following design goals: 1) transparency of in-progress crafts, 2) community-building, and 3) connection to teachers’ everyday classroom practice. Below we share three technology choices that orient our revised PD model with explanations for those choices rooted in theory and practice. 
    more » « less
  3. Abstract We define Artificial Intelligence-Mediated Communication (AI-MC) as interpersonal communication in which an intelligent agent operates on behalf of a communicator by modifying, augmenting, or generating messages to accomplish communication goals. The recent advent of AI-MC raises new questions about how technology may shape human communication and requires re-evaluation – and potentially expansion – of many of Computer-Mediated Communication’s (CMC) key theories, frameworks, and findings. A research agenda around AI-MC should consider the design of these technologies and the psychological, linguistic, relational, policy and ethical implications of introducing AI into human–human communication. This article aims to articulate such an agenda. 
    more » « less
  4. Abstract Computer-aided design (CAD) is a standard design tool used in engineering practice and by students. CAD has become increasingly analytic and inventive in incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) approaches to design, e.g., generative design (GD), to help expand designers' divergent thinking. However, generative design technologies are relatively new, we know little about generative design thinking in students. This research aims to advance our understanding of the relationship between aspects of generative design thinking and traditional design thinking. This study was set in an introductory graphics and design course where student designers used Fusion 360 to optimize a bicycle wheel frame. We collected the following data from the sample: divergent and convergent psychological tests and an open-ended response to a generative design prompt (called the generative design reasoning elicitation problem). A Spearman's rank correlation showed no statistically significant relationship between generative design reasoning and divergent thinking. However, an analysis of variance found a significant difference in generative design reasoning and convergent thinking between groups with moderate GD reasoning and low GD reasoning. This study shows that new computational tools might present the same challenges to beginning designers as conventional tools. Instructors should be aware of informed design practices and encourage students to grow into informed designers by introducing them to new technology, such as generative design. 
    more » « less
  5. Accounting for technologies’ unintended consequences—whether they are misinformation on social media or issues of sustainability and social justice—increasingly requires HCI to consider technology design at a societal-level scale. At this scale, public and corporate policies play a critical role in shaping technologies and user behaviors. However, the research and practices around tech and policy design have largely been held separate. How can technology design and policies better inform and coordinate with each other in generating safe new technologies? What new solutions might emerge when HCI practitioners design technology and its policies simultaneously to account for its societal impacts? This workshop addresses these questions. It will 1) identify disciplines and areas of expertise needed for a tighter, more proactive technology-and-policy-design integration, 2) launch a community of researchers, educators, and designers interested in this integration, 3) identify and publish an HCI research and education agenda towards designing technologies and technology policies simultaneously. 
    more » « less