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<\/div>\nNed Wingreen,\u00a0the Howard A. Prior Professor in the Life Sciences and professor of molecular biology and the\u00a0Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Photo by<\/p>\n
Denise Applewhite, Office of Communications<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n
To support Princeton, a Microsoft team led by Dr.\u00a0Andrew Phillips<\/a>, head of the Biological Computation group at Microsoft Research<\/a>, will be working closely with Bonnie Bassler, a global pioneer in microbiology who is\u00a0the Squibb Professor in Molecular Biology and chair of the\u00a0Department of Molecular Biology<\/a>\u00a0at Princeton\u00a0and\u00a0a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator,\u00a0and with Ned Wingreen,\u00a0the Howard A. Prior Professor in the Life Sciences and professor of molecular biology and the\u00a0Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics<\/a>.<\/p>\n Using the power of Microsoft\u2019s cloud and advanced machine learning, Princeton will be able to study different strains of biofilms in new ways to better understand how they work. Microsoft is contributing a cloud-based prototype that can be used for biological modelling and experimentation that will be deployed at Princeton.\u00a0This work combines programming languages and compilers, which generate biological protocols that can be executed using lab automation technology. It allows experimental data to be uploaded to the cloud where it can be analyzed at scale using advanced machine learning and data analysis methods, to generate biological knowledge. This in turn informs the design of subsequent experiments, to provide insight into the mechanisms of biofilm formation.\u00a0Princeton is contributing world-leading expertise in experiments and modelling of microbial biofilms.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis collaboration enables us to bring together advances in computing and microbiology in powerful new ways,\u201d said Brad Smith, president of Microsoft. \u201cThis partnership can help us unlock answers that we hope someday may help save millions of people around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBy combining our distinctive strengths, Princeton and Microsoft will increase our ability to make the discoveries needed to improve lives and serve society,\u201d said Christopher L. Eisgruber, president of Princeton University. \u201cTechnology is creating new possibilities for collaboration, and we hope this venture will inspire other innovative partnerships in the years ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n