Basecamp Research United Kingdom England

07.08.2025 - 18:08:24

Basecamp Research Launches BaseFold: A Breakthrough in 3D Protein Structure Prediction of Large, Complex Protein Structures

and CAMEO (Continuous Automated Model EvaluatiOn) community project.

Publication Result Highlights

Basecamp Research's purpose-built foundational dataset allowed BaseFold to improve the accuracy of AlphaFold2's predicted structures by up to 6-fold.The team demonstrated an up to 3-fold improvement in modelling accuracy for small molecule interactions with protein targets.BaseFold unlocks more reliable 3D structure predictions and small molecule docking for larger and more complex proteins than ever before, particularly those that are underrepresented in public datasets.This step change is poised to greatly accelerate drug discovery efforts, where understanding these interactions will allow for more advanced therapeutics molecules to be developed using AI.

"We have redesigned and rebuilt the entire data acquisition process, making us the first team ever to collect and annotate biodiversity data with the same quality as human clinical genetic data — all purpose-built for the AI era," said Dr. Phil Lorenz, CTO of Basecamp Research. "BaseGraph, the most diverse and comprehensive dataset of its kind, is the core driver of our advances in AI. The results of this publication prove that more diverse, representative genomics data allows for step-change algorithm improvements without the need for extensive lab-in-the-loop infrastructure. Our database is growing every week, and as a result, BaseFold is improving every week, too."

"AlphaFold is one of the most useful AI tools in drug discovery, and for good reason. It enables researchers to better predict how medicines may interact with proteins in the body, shaving off years of work. However, AlphaFold still has significant room for improvement – particularly when being used to predict large, complex and underrepresented proteins, which are often the most critical for the development of new therapeutics. Even just a few percentage points of error can have major implications in accurately predicting protein-molecule interactions," said Dr. Glen Gowers, co-founder of Basecamp Research.

"We know that when it comes to AI, the best data produces the best outcomes, and it's rewarding to know that the new, purpose-built foundational dataset that we have built is already having widespread implications for drug development and human health," Dr. Gowers added. "We're not stopping here, though – we are continuing to scale our biodiversity partnerships and apply this data advantage across more and more biological AI models."

The full preprint can be found here: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.06.583325v1

About Basecamp Research

Basecamp Research is a market leader in mapping biodiversity for AI-based design of biological systems. We match and refine novel proteins for our partners' exact industrial, therapeutic or diagnostic applications using BaseGraph™, a new generation of AI design that is powered by the first-ever high-resolution map of global genetic biodiversity.

Understanding the full genetic, evolutionary, and environmental context of each protein allows Basecamp Research to design tailored proteins for specific applications without the need for expensive and time-consuming directed evolution campaigns. We're a team of explorers, scientists and policy experts driven by our ambition to protect and learn from nature's diversity, whilst delivering life-changing breakthroughs to those who need them most.

For more information, visit www.basecamp-research.com.

For media and other inquiries, please contact press@basecamp-research.com, 07867 488769

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