Project summary

Travel funding top-up for the Global Challenges Project (GCP) workshop at Oxford in December 2024.

What are this project's goals and how will you achieve them?

The primary goal of attending the GCP Workshop is to support my career exploration into the fields of biosecurity and AI governance (https://www.globalchallengesproject.org/ ). The workshop will equip me with the strategic frameworks, practical tools, and professional networks necessary to enhance my contributions in these areas. 

• Enhanced Strategic Understanding: As I transition from a research-intensive background in bacterial pathogenesis and antibiotic resistance, I aim to deepen my understanding of strategic approaches to addressing global challenges. This workshop will foster discussions on frameworks and methodologies that can be applied to policy and governance roles, allowing me to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world impact.

• Innovative Solutions: By learning about new technologies and strategies at the workshop, I will be better positioned to expand my knowledge of what is possible in biosecurity and advanced AI. This could lead to impactful projects, such as my current exploration of integrating AI tools to enhance the robustness of DNA screening frameworks as part of a Biosecurity Fellowship at BlueDot Impact. I am eager to gain insights into cutting-edge innovations that can be incorporated into this and similar projects.

• Future Trends and Challenges: As I expand into the policy and governance fields, staying informed about emerging trends in global risk management is crucial. Understanding the latest developments will enable me to proactively address future challenges in biosecurity and AI governance, ensuring that my work remains aligned with the most pressing global needs. This workshop will provide an opportunity to explore cutting-edge safety measures for AI and biotechnology and gain insights from professionals who are actively shaping the field.

• Feedback and Reflection: Receiving feedback on my strategies from leading experts will be instrumental in refining my approach. Reflecting on this feedback will help me evaluate and enhance my strategies to ensure that my transition into biosecurity and AI governance is both effective and meaningful.

Based on the testimonies of past participants at the GCP, I am confident that the workshop will provide an environment conducive to achieving my goals. 

How will this funding be used?

• Flight from Calgary to London: $900-$1200

• UK Visa Application Fees: $153

• Travel (London to Oxford, to-and-from airport): $220

• Accommodation: $200-$400 (Accommodations during the workshop is covered by GCP. This amount is for the extra nights before and after the event, and any layovers)

• Food: $100

Total cost: ~ $1,573-$2,073

Who is on your team and what's your track record on similar projects?

As an early-career researcher, I have focused on bacterial pathogenesis, antibiotic resistance, and vaccine development for multi-drug resistant pathogens, which lays a strong foundation to tackle complex biological challenges with a focus on public health impact, with my list of publications listed below (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3318-6270). 

1. Patel, Dhruvin H., Karimullina, Elina, Guo, Yirui, Semper, Cameron, Patel, Deepak T., Emde, Tabitha, Borek, Dominika, and Savchenko, Alexei**. (2024). "Cryo-EM Structure of Salmonella typhimurium ArnC; the Key Enzyme in Lipid-A Modification Conferring Polymyxin Resistance." Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.30.605912.

2. Patel, Dhruvin H., Watanabe, N., Savchenko, A., and Semper, C. "The crystal structure of domain of unknown function 1480 (DUF1480) from Klebsiella pneumophila." In submission at Protein Science. Under review at Proteins: Structure, Function, and Bioinformatics.

3. Patel, Deepak T., Stogios, Peter J., Jaroszewski, Lukasz, Urbanus, Malene, Sedova, Mayya, Semper, Cameron, Le, Cathy, Takkouche, Abraham, Ichii, Keita, Innabi, Julie, Patel, Dhruvin H., Ensminger, Alexander, Godzik, Adam, and Savchenko, Alexei**. (2024). "Global atlas of predicted functional domains in Legionella pneumophila Dot/Icm translocated effectors." Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.09.593423.

4. Semper, Cameron, Watanabe, Nobuhiko, Karimullina, Elina, Patel, Deepak T., Di Leo, Rosa, Castellanos, Mildred, Patel, Dhruvin H., Chaconas, George, and Savchenko, Alexei. (2024). "Structure analysis of the telomere resolvase from the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia garinii reveals functional divergence of its C-terminal domain." Nucleic Acids Research, 52(14), 8431-8442. DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae580.

5. Penner, Tiffany V., Lorente Cobo, Neil, Patel, Deepak T., Patel, Dhruvin H., Savchenko, Alexei, Brassinga, Ann Karen C., and Prehna, Gerd**. (2024). "Structural characterization of the Sel1‐like repeat protein LceB from Legionella pneumophila." Protein Science, 33(3). DOI: 10.1002/pro.4889.

6. Syriste, Lukas, Patel, Deepak T., Stogios, Peter J., Skarina, Tatiana, Patel, Dhruvin, and Savchenko, Alexei**. (2024). "An acetyltransferase effector conserved across Legionella species targets the eukaryotic eIF3 complex to modulate protein translation." mBio, 15(3). DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03221-23.

7. Jayawardana, Thilina K., Hossain, Md Fahim, Patel, Dhruvin, and Kimura, Susana Y.**. (2023). "Haloacetonitrile stability in cell culture media used in vitro toxicological studies." Chemosphere, 313, p. 137568. DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2022.137568.

Additionally, I have completed or am currently participating in multiple fellowships on GCRs, including biosecurity and advance AI.

1. Biosecurity Fundamentals in Pandemic Preparedness Fellowship at BlueDot Impact.

2. AI Safety, Ethics, and Society fellowship at the Centre for AI Safety.

3. AI Governance at BlueDot Impact. 

4. Introduction to Effective Altruism Virtual program 

This track record showcases my ability to execute projects that intersect science, technology, and policy, making me well-prepared to contribute to the goals of the Global Challenges Project workshop.

What are the most likely causes and outcomes if this project fails? (premortem)

If I am unable to secure adequate funding, I will not be able to attend the workshop. Missing this opportunity could significantly impact my career trajectory. Without the critical knowledge and strategic insights provided by the workshop, I risk being less equipped to effectively contribute to GCR mitigation. My career might be misaligned, making it more challenging to work directly in the fields of biosecurity and AI governance, or I may not achieve the level of impact that I am capable of. This could ultimately hinder my ability to make a meaningful contribution to addressing some of the world's most pressing challenges.

What other funding are you or your project getting?

GCP has committed $535 in travel funding, which is the maximum amount they can offer, leaving a significant gap in the funds needed to cover the higher costs associated with traveling to the UK. For context, I initially applied for the GCP workshop in September, scheduled to be held in Berkeley, as it is the closest location to me. However, due to unexpected visa issues, I learned that it would not be feasible for me to attend any workshops in the United States until at least 2026. Given these constraints, my only viable option is to attend the GCP workshop in Oxford in December 2024.