NCN OPUS grant for research on AI/ML based predictive models of bioactivity and toxicity in agrochemical applications

10 12 2025

Dr hab. Rafał Archacki from the Department of Systems Biology, Institute of Experimental Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, is a partner in a consortium carrying out the OPUS 29 grant of the National Science Centre entitled “Development of a reference platform for AI/ML-based predictive models in agrochemical applications related to bioactivity and toxicity”. The project is led by Dr hab. Paweł Siedlecki from the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences.

The consortium, which also includes AGH University of Science and Technology, has received funding of 2,130,120 PLN for the project.

The project aims to create an open reference platform that will support researchers and companies in designing safe and effective plant protection products, such as herbicides and other pesticides. Thanks to this platform, it will be possible to select active substances with the highest technological and economic potential faster and more rationally, before expensive laboratory and field tests are initiated.

Using modern methods of molecular data analysis, artificial intelligence and machine learning, the team will build a benchmark, that is a well-curated data set that allows different predictive models to be compared and evaluated consistently and transparently. These models will help to predict, among other things, the bioactivity, toxicity and environmental impact of new chemical compounds.

The project addresses pressing challenges in modern agriculture and environmental protection. These include the growing incidence of pests and weeds developing resistance to existing chemical control agents, rising public expectations and increasingly stringent regulations concerning the safety of active substances, as well as the escalating difficulties in crop protection driven by ongoing climate change.

We sincerely congratulate both researchers on obtaining funding and wish them valuable results and success in obtaining funds for future projects!

Details of the OPUS 29 call are available on the NCN website: https://www.ncn.gov.pl/konkursy/wyniki/2025-11-28-opus-preludium