Google DeepMind, Meta and Isomorphic Labs are each putting money into the nonprofit Biohub founded by Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan. Together they are investing $300 million. The cash will go toward building AI datasets that let scientists run experiments on a computer model of a cell – what Biohub calls a “virtual cell.” The investment is part of a larger $1.8 billion push to create digital tools for biology.
Why the funding matters
If the virtual cell works, researchers could test drug ideas or study disease pathways without needing a lab bench for every experiment. That could speed up discovery and lower costs, especially for rare diseases where data are scarce.
Why it matters
For patients, faster digital experiments could mean new treatments arriving sooner and at lower cost. For researchers, it offers a way to explore hypotheses without the time and expense of physical labs. However, the virtual cell is still under development, so it’s unclear when the tool will be ready for everyday use.
