Danaher to launch AI-powered autonomous research lab in early 2027

Life sciences firm Danaher announced plans to launch its first AI-powered autonomous research lab in early 2027. The lab will combine AI, robotics and molecular technologies to accelerate drug discovery, aiming to make molecule discovery eight times faster.

Life sciences company Danaher said on Wednesday it plans to launch its first AI-powered autonomous research lab early next year to make drug discovery and development faster and more efficient. The lab, projected to operate at scale in early 2027, will combine AI, robotics and technologies from several Danaher operating companies in one connected workflow to develop custom antibodies and other molecular tools.

The lab is expected to make discovering molecules eight times faster and unlock a tenfold increase in generating target-binding molecules annually. It uses AI to help create new molecules that can bind specifically to a biological target, including antibodies, then builds and tests each one, feeding every result back into the model to improve the next design.

"That frees them (scientists) to focus on the complex scientific challenges where human insight matters most," said JC Gutierrez-Ramos, chief science officer of Danaher. The lab is an example of a broader program across Danaher, intended to create a fleet of smart instruments, the company said.