10133813Understanding and Mitigating Drug Toxicity Risks in Diverse Populations through AI-Enabled Genomics and PharmacogenomicsClosedGrant for R&DInnovate UKI am Layla Hosseini-Gerami, a passionate advocate for diversity in tech and science and a proud co-founder of Ignota Labs. As a female ethnic minority with a PhD in AI for Drug Discovery from Cambridge University, where I won the Outstanding Thesis of the Year, I am committed to being a role model for women in tech. My journey has been driven by a desire to address inequalities in the scientific community and improve patient outcomes across diverse populations. Our Minimal Viable Product (MVP) **_SAFEPATH_** leverages cutting-edge AI technology to understand molecular mechanisms of drug toxicity. We seek to extend our platform to address the significant gap in drug safety understanding in diverse populations. Traditional drug studies predominantly involve white male participants, leading to known oversight of toxicity risks in women and ethnic minorities. Our project aims to address this disparity by utilising patient-derived data, in partnership with Genomics England and Cytochroma, to predict Gefitinib-induced liver toxicity risks in sub-populations, building on a recent case study where we identified a novel mechanism. This grant will enable us to expand **_SAFEPATH_** in two crucial areas: **Understanding Population Differences:** By integrating comprehensive patient-derived genomics data, we aim to understand the drivers of toxicity in diverse populations. This will help in identifying genetic variations that contribute to differential drug responses. Utilising our partnership with Genomics England, we will incorporate known pharmacogenomic variations to predict and analyse toxicity risks specific to various sub-populations and validate our findings on Cytochroma's cell lines derived from diverse donors. Addressing the overwhelming bias for white, European males in drug studies, our project will ensure that the risks for women and ethnic minorities are adequately assessed and mitigated. **Towards Personalised Medicine:** Our approach is a significant step towards the development of safer and more effective drugs tailored to the genetic profiles of diverse populations. By reducing adverse drug reactions in underrepresented groups, we aim to improve public health outcomes and promote equity in medical treatments. This initiative not only strives for scientific excellence but also emphasises the importance of diversity and inclusion in research. Through the successful execution of this project, I aim to inspire future generations of women and underrepresented minorities to pursue careers in science and innovation. With the support of this grant, SAFEPATH will advance the field of personalised medicine, ensuring that drug development is both inclusive and equitable, ultimately benefiting society as a whole.