Citizen scientists find new cures in their sleep

Global connection of internet databases helps speed up the process of discovery

A smartphone-powered supercomputing network has identified several existing drugs that could be repurposed to treat COVID-19, as well as a number of so-called hyperfoods that are rich in antiviral molecules.

As part of the Corona-AI research project, Imperial College London researchers have instructed the DreamLab app from Vodafone to mine internet databases for molecules that could be used to combat the novel coronavirus.

The project has been running for eight months, and almost 1 million users have run the app in the background on their phones while they sleep or while their phones are charging.

One desktop computer would take decades to crunch the existing data available on drug and food databases, but this computational time can be greatly reduced if a program is able to spread its calculating burden across multiple devices.

In early results announced this month, researchers say they have discovered that common drugs used to combat cardiovascular and metabolic disorders－including simvastatin, atorvastatin, and metformin－could be repurposed for use against COVID-19.

The project has also found molecules with antiviral properties in several foods, including blackcurrants, cranberries, blueberries, apples, oranges, lemons, cabbage, broccoli, onions, garlic, parsley, and beans.

The researchers say the discoveries could be used to design a healthy diet for those recovering from COVID-19 infection. Full details from the first phase of the project will soon be published in the journal Human Genomics.

"While there is, rightly, much focus on finding a vaccine for COVID-19, we are looking for ways to potentially help people when they have contracted the virus, reducing either the duration or the severity of the disease," said Kirill Veselkov, a precision medicine specialist at Imperial College London and the person leading the Corona-AI research project.

Veselkov said there is a "critical need for innovative and cost-effective out-of-hospital treatment" for many of those who become infected.

"We expect that precision nutrition strategies－designed with phytochemically-rich hyperfoods－may offer a novel solution in this regard," he added.

DreamLab was initially developed to search for cancer treatments and has identified cancer-beating properties in two existing drugs and 110 useful molecules in foods since its launch in the United Kingdom in 2018. Vodafone enlisted Imperial College London to provide a COVID-19 update for the app in April.

The technology uses artificial intelligence programs to analyze the makeup of molecules in drugs and foods contained in existing databases, helping scientists identify potential treatments for viruses and other diseases.

"As the research moves to Phase 2, there's still more to do," said Helen Lamprell, who is external affairs director at Vodafone UK. "We encourage everyone to download and use the Dream-Lab app whenever they charge their smartphone. Together, we are making a difference."