Texas-based Vizzhy Inc., a firm focussing on healthcare innovation leveraging multi-omics, is in the process of building what is claimed to be the world’s first and largest multi-omics-based Generative AI platform on holistic health to help the common man, medical professionals and researchers.
Vizzhy’s a team of 40 data scientists, medical professionals and researchers and deep tech experts based in Bengaluru will be working on this project. To run the project, the company has imported the NVIDIA DGX H100, which claims to be the AI powerhouse and the foundation of NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD, that helps enterprises solve the biggest challenges with AI through its high performance.
Multi-omics (multiple omics) offer possibilities of holistic discovery across multiple levels of biology. By combining multi-omics data, researchers will be able to get a deeper, holistic understanding of molecular changes happening in the human body, and therefore physicians would be able to treat all kinds of ailments more effectively with significantly less, but precise medication. Multi-omics involve a comprehensive analysis of biological data, integrating genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics to unravel intricate disease mechanisms and advance personalised medicine.
Dr. Vishnu Vardhan Pogunulu Srinivasalu, founder of Vizzhy Inc., is an orthopaedics doctor hailing from Ballari district in Karnataka. He has an MS, and an MBA in Business Administration and Science & Technology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
He told The Hindu, “What patients, especially the ones with multiple ailments, require is a holistic approach to understand their body and treat their complaints more effectively rather than treating patients with diverse medications prescribed by different specialists or super-specialists for different diseases triggered by metabolic issues.’‘
Quoting a 2019 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in the U.S., Dr. Srinivasalu said that some 88% of adults were metabolically unfit and the average adult gained 15 kg since the 1970s. A surge in metabolic diseases has propelled America’s annual healthcare spending to over $4 trillion, surpassing India’s GDP. Metabolic trends in India too were similar, or not satisfactory.
“This startling revelation prompted us to realise that the entire healthcare landscape required to be redefined. Transforming from specialists’ medication model to a holistic medication approach, a more natural way of treating diseases effectively,” he added.
Vizzhy’s Generative AI platform would be able to generate a humongous amount of innovative medical data, meant for the public and patients, medical fraternity and researchers, further expanding the possibilities of research and treatment for metabolic diseases.
“These technologies thrive on global collaboration, aggregating original research, expertise, datasets, and computational capabilities. Our attempt is set to explore novel avenues in the management of lifestyle ailments, and it is about taming the AI to tackle the root cause of metabolic diseases,’‘ Dr. Srinivasalu said.
Vizzhy’s approach focused on a systems biology paradigm, emphasising on preventative, predictive, precise, participatory (the patient has 70% of responsibility in managing his health, he argues), and personalised healthcare. The synergy of multi-omics and Generative AI is key to addressing the fundamental causes of metabolic diseases.
“Vizzhy Inc. is propelling a healthcare revolution by channelling the potent combination of multi-omics and Generative AI. The platform would respond to all health related queries from anyone, and generate authentic, well-researched medical data accordingly,: he elaborated.
Invests ₹100 crore on research in metabolic diseases
To further its commitment to combat metabolic diseases through holistic approach, Vizzhy Inc has decided to invest over ₹100 crore ( $12.5 million) in Sreenivasulu AI for Wellness Centre, at the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
This center, led by Prof. Narendra Ahuja, global scientist in Computer Vision, known for establishing India’s first IIIT in Hyderabad, would assemble a team of scientists, engineers, and health system experts committed to addressing one of humanity’s most pressing challenges — metabolic diseases.
Published - November 08, 2023 12:56 pm IST
