The Fisher Artificial Intelligence Platform

The Fisher AI Platform develops AI models, algorithms, and tools that enable biological laboratories to apply state-of-the-art analysis methods to their data. Consisting of a team of three machine learning engineers and cutting-edge computing resources, the platform is accelerating how scientists study the brain and the genetic causes of neurodegeneration and Alzheimer’s disease.

• Redefining disease understanding — moving toward detailed, cell-type-specific molecular and genetic profiles.
• Enhancing predictive power — improving how researchers identify markers of disease and model disease progression.
• Accelerating therapeutic discovery — identifying new potential targets for drug development and treatment.

By combining high-performance computing with the development of AI solutions tailored to the specific needs of each project, the Fisher AI Platform is helping scientists at The Rockefeller University to gain unprecedented insight into neurodegenerative pathologies.

Image Segmentation is the process of partitioning a digital image into multiple distinct and meaningful sub-components. One of the Fisher AI Platform’s core projects is the development of AI image segmentation tools and models that allow scientists to see the brain in ways that were never before possible.

The Platform’s flagship project is an AI model named ZenCell, which can analyze microscopic 3D images of brain tissue far more quickly and precisely than a human. This model is now being used in partnership with the Fisher Center Lab to study brain cells that die in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, using a state-of-the-art staining method called mFISH3D.

By automatically identifying and counting affected cells, ZenCell is helping researchers pinpoint how and when Alzheimer’s begins to damage the brain. The results have been submitted for scientific publication, and once complete, the technology will be shared freely with the global research community. Using additional data and smarter engineering, and by integrating additional state-of-the-art AI methods that other laboratories have released, ZenCell is continuously being improved.

AI foundation models for genomics are similar in spirit to the large language models that power modern AI assistants, but they are trained on massive amounts of genetic data instead of text-based sources. As a result, these models are capable of uncovering complex patterns that link genes and another genomic elements to disease. Although this work is in its early stages, it represents one of the Fisher AI Platform’s main areas of explorations, and it is laying the groundwork for the application of these models to Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative conditions. The ultimate goal is to help researchers understand how subtle genetic differences may influence disease risk, progression, and treatment—opening the door to new discoveries and therapies.

The Fisher AI Platform was created to be a shared resource, ensuring that AI expertise is directly available to researchers across The Rockefeller University.

In partnership with the university’s Data Science Platform, the program has fostered collaborations with scientists at the very forefront of research into Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative conditions, including the Fisher Center Lab director Dr. Nathaniel Heintz, Dr. Winrich Freiwald, and Dr. Kivanç Birsoy.

By supporting such a diverse array of projects—from mapping cellular vulnerabilities to understanding memory circuits and developing new therapeutic antibodies—the Fisher AI Platform is accelerating progress across the spectrum of Alzheimer’s and neurodegenerative disease research.

Together with his team of machine learning engineers, Mr. Carvalloza is building a full-stack data science environment that supports advanced computational workflows across the laboratories supported by the Fisher AI Platform. To sustain and expand this work, the Platform continues to invest in powerful GPU servers, high-speed networking, and storage systems to meet the demands of large-scale biological data.

The Fisher AI Platform represents a bold new approach to one of the most pressing scientific challenges of our time. By merging advanced computation with pioneering neuroscience, it is helping to unravel the mysteries of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.