U of T receives $200-million grant to support Acceleration Consortium's ‘self-driving labs’ research

Experts say $200-million grant awarded to U of T will drive ‘big science’ via the Acceleration Consortium

Leaders and researchers from U of T and Acceleration Consortium spoke with U of T News about the impact the CFREF funding – the largest federal research grant ever awarded to a Canadian university – will have on the consortium’s game-changing work and unique model of cross-sector collaboration.

U of T receives $200-million grant to support Acceleration Consortium's ‘self-driving labs’ research

The University of Toronto's Acceleration Consortium has been awarded a $200-million grant from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) to revolutionize the speed and impact of scientific discovery.

From mitigating weather disasters to mapping genetic diversity: U of T’s Schmidt AI in Science Postdoc announces first cohort

Meet the inaugural cohort of U of T’s Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellowship and learn what grand challenges they aim to solve using AI:

We're hiring!

Chemists. AI experts. Roboticists. Social scientists. Software engineers. And more. We’re looking for a diverse group of people to help us revolutionize scientific discovery.

New study uses AlphaFold and AI to accelerate design of novel drug for liver cancer

It is the first successful application of AlphaFold to hit identification process in drug discovery. Published in Chemical Science, this research is led by the University of Toronto’s Acceleration Consortium director Alán Aspuru-Guzik, Chemistry Nobel laureate Michael Levitt, and Insilico Medicine founder and CEO Alex Zhavoronkov.

Meet the postdocs–and then apply to join them!

The Acceleration Consortium’s (AC) second call for postdoctoral fellows is now open, with applications due on January 27, 2023, by 5:00pm EDT.

Accelerating the discovery of organic lasers with self-driving labs

A self-driving lab (SDL) at the University of Toronto has discovered organic lasers with state-of-the-art performance⁠—and it only took 2 days. Published in Advanced Materials, this research is led by Acceleration Consortium (AC) members Alán Aspuru-Guzik, Jason Hein, Martin Burke, and collaborators from around the world.

Gift from Schmidt Futures to spark a revolution in AI-based STEM research at the University of Toronto

With the goal of accelerating scientific research through the application of artificial intelligence, Schmidt Futures is investing $148-million in nine global universities, including the University of Toronto.

Exploring chemical space with Anatole von Lilienfeld

Anatole von Lilienfeld also navigates space, but rather than exploring the depths of the universe, his work is here on Earth in “chemical space.” And instead of hunting for unknown stars, galaxies and other celestial objects, his focus is on the untapped potential of undiscovered chemical combinations.

Acceleration Consortium, Matter Lab, and Vector Institute collaborate on software to power self-driving labs

We've teamed up with the Matter Lab and the Vector Institute to develop Gryffin, an open-source “off-the-shelf” software to help power self-driving laboratories (SDLs) which combine AI, robotics, and advanced computing to reduce the time and cost of bringing materials to market.

Aug 31: Opening keynote and panel featuring Jordan Jacobs, Garth Gibson, Leah Cowen, and Alan Bernstein

As Managing Partner and co-founder of Radical Ventures, Jordan Jacobs will discuss what it takes to build a robust AI ecosystem in Canada, followed by a panel discussion also featuring: Alan Bernstein (President & CEO of CIFAR), Leah Cowen (Vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives at UofT), and Garth Gibson (President and CEO of the Vector Institute).

Turning trains into gigatonne-scale carbon capture systems

CO2Rail recently partnered with U of T researchers to explore the feasibility of adding direct air carbon capture technology to freight and passenger trains.

Meet our keynotes

We're excited to announce our first two speakers: Lilo D. Pozzo (University of Washington) and Christoph Brabec (FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg). More keynote and session speakers will be announced very shortly. Be sure to take advantage of early-bird prices, available until July 31, 2022. Register now!

On sale now: Accelerate Conference, Aug 30–Sept 2

Join us in Toronto for the inaugural Accelerate conference to explore the power of self-driving labs, which combine AI, automation, and advanced computing to accelerate materials and molecular discovery.

Crowdsourcing designs for the next generation of self-driving labs

The Acceleration Consortium (AC) working together with Matter and Schmidt Futures are soliciting white papers towards Critical Materials Advancements for Societal Solutions (CriticalMASS).

The Acceleration Consortium cements partnership with global technology leader Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

The Acceleration Consortium (AC) at the University of Toronto recently welcomed a visit from our new industry partner.

Nanochemistry pioneer Geoffrey Ozin’s new guide to energy materials for a sustainable future

The book explores the transition of non-renewable and unsustainable energy systems of the past into renewable and sustainable energy systems of the future. It is a story that often begins in chemistry laboratories with the discovery of new energy materials.

The Acceleration Consortium welcomes industry members: Genentech and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

As anchor partners, Genentech and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany gain a seat on the AC’s Industry Advisory Board, helping to set the pre-competitive research agenda, in addition to other membership benefits.

The Acceleration Consortium to launch micro-credentials program in digital discovery

Launching in Fall 2022, our program will help upskill workers and train new scientists to meet the demands of a growing digital chemistry and advanced materials sector, forecasted to reach $510B globally by 2024, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF).

Meet Anatole von Lilienfeld, the inaugural Clark Chair in advanced materials discovery

Almost 10 questions with Acceleration Consortium (AC) member Anatole von Lilienfeld

Hello world!

Welcome to our new website! Please excuse any bugs you might encounter as you explore, we hope to have everything de-bugged shortly. Thanks for your patience! We encourage you to take a look around, but first let us tell you a bit about ourselves.

Radical Reads: Solving Humanity’s Biggest Challenges with AI for Materials Discovery

If we hope to meaningfully tackle climate change and reverse the systemic resource pressures placed on the planet, we need to develop new materials faster and more efficiently.

This chemist is reimagining the discovery of materials using AI and automation

Alán Aspuru-Guzik is using AI, robots, and even quantum computing to create the new materials that we will need to fight climate change.

Using an automated chemistry lab to find the origin of life

U.K. chemist Lee Cronin is building a ‘chemputer’ in his quest to create the smartest artificial brain.

Anyone can download an autonomous ‘research robot’ from the Air Force Research Laboratory

Using the artificial intelligence and autonomy algorithms built into ARES OS, researchers can transform experiments into autonomous “research robots” capable of directing and conducting their own research.

Fast forward

Tonio Buonassisi’s Photo­voltaics Lab is speeding up the development of new solar cell materials using machine learning, robots, and good old-fashioned teamwork.

The lab of the future is now

Recent demonstrations of AI-directed automation may herald a new world for drug and materials discovery

Robotic scientists will 'speed up discovery'

Scientists at the University of Liverpool have unveiled a robotic colleague that has been working non-stop in their lab throughout lockdown.

Alán Aspuru-Guzik has seen the lab of the future, and it’s very, very fast

By bringing artificial intelligence into chemistry, he aims to vastly shrink the time it takes to develop new drugs – and almost everything else

Let the laboratory do its own work

Self-driving laboratories can use robotics and AI to automate some routine parts of experiments. What impact could that have?

3 technologies that could create trillion-dollar markets over the next decade

Go back to the typical household in 1950, and you would see much that you would recognize: washing machines, vacuum cleaners, cars, TVs.