Lukasz Kurgan Elected as Member of the National Academy of Artificial Intelligence

Dr. Lukasz Kurgan, Chair of the Department of Computer Science in the College of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University, has been elected as a member of the National Academy of Artificial Intelligence (NAAI) for his contributions to artificial intelligence research, education and innovation. Kurgan's work in bioinformatics has enabled the development of AI tools used by researchers worldwide.

Dr. Lukasz Kurgan is known as a data scientist who develops and applies AI-powered tools for the analysis of protein structures, intrinsic disorder and functions. The tools developed in his research laboratory help structural biologists, biophysicists, bioinformaticians and biochemists understand the underlying molecular mechanisms of cellular processes and develop treatments for conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently renewed funding for Kurgan's research on intrinsically disordered proteins. Through his NAAI membership, Kurgan aims to network with the AI community and disseminate the tools developed within the Department of Computer Science.