AI in Science & Research

At a recent OpenAI Forum conversation, GitLab co-founder and Executive Chair Sid Sijbrandij joined geneticist Jacob Stern to discuss how they have used AI, advanced diagnostics, and personalized treatment design in response to Sid’s osteosarcoma diagnosis. Hosted by Chris Nicholson and introduced by OpenAI researcher Scott McKinney, the session focused on what becomes possible when patients, researchers, and technologists work together to go beyond standard care, especially in the context of a rare and aggressive cancer. Sid and Jacob described building a highly individualized approach after standard options became limited, combining extensive diagnostics with AI-assisted analysis to better understand Sid’s specific tumor biology. Their work has included single-cell sequencing, DNA and RNA sequencing, targeted imaging, organoid testing, and the development of experimental treatment strategies such as a personalized mRNA vaccine and engineered cell therapies. Jacob explained that AI helped accelerate literature review, hypothesis generation, and bioinformatics analysis, allowing him to collaborate more effectively with specialists and move faster in areas where time and precision were critical. A central message of the event was that AI can help make medicine more personalized, iterative, and accessible over time. Rather than presenting AI as a replacement for doctors or researchers, the speakers emphasized its value as a tool for helping patients and experts interpret complex data, explore new options, and ask better questions. The conversation closed on a hopeful note: Sid shared that after targeted radioactive treatment and surgery, there is currently no evidence of disease, and both speakers underscored their broader goal of helping make these kinds of patient-centered approaches easier for others in the future.