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Kimberly Budil
Director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
The Laboratory’s objective of “moving from innovation to transformation” is all about turning innovative ideas into solutions to real-world challenges, a central goal of projects throughout Lawrence Livermore. In service to the nation, we pursue big ideas that demand scientific innovation and deliver transformational capabilities to meet pressing mission needs in these rapidly changing and increasingly dangerous times. We are making disruptive advances in science and technology (S&T), for example, achievement of fusion ignition, breakthroughs in advanced manufacturing, and application of machine learning (ML) to big data science. Through partnerships, our Laboratory is accelerating application of these S&T advances to products that disruptively advance national security and global stability.
“Moving from innovation to transformation” is also a recurring theme in this issue of Science & Technology Review. Our feature article, "GUIDEing Drug Development," describes a transformational advance in our nation’s ability to respond rapidly to a viral pandemic. The Generative Unconstrained Intelligent Drug Engineering (GUIDE) program, led by Lawrence Livermore and supported by the Department of Defense (DOD), set out to develop the predictive tools and experimental capabilities required to shorten the time to develop effective therapeutics from years to weeks. The multi-institutional GUIDE team combined high-performance computing simulations of biological molecular dynamics with ML to design antibodies that block viral antigens. The tools were put to the test when the urgent need arose to respond to Omicron mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In a matter of weeks, AI-assisted supercomputing narrowed 1017 possibilities to 376 antibody candidates for laboratory testing. Experimental teams at Lawrence Livermore and Vanderbilt University then rapidly tested the candidates and identified a highly effective antibody.
Building on that success, with support from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and DOD, our Laboratory acquired a new supercomputing system and established the Rapid Response Laboratory to improve integration and expedite antibody design through simulation and experimental validation. This whole new paradigm for discovery of new therapeutics holds the promise of realizing long-hoped-for vaccines and therapeutics for a wide variety of pathogens and diseases over the coming decade. Along with the GUIDE program, these unique capabilities will support bioresilience and biodefense research programs at the three NNSA national laboratories and enable many collaborations with academic and industry partners.
The first research highlight, "A New Era in Pulsed Power," features a breakthrough in pulsed-power technology that could drive next-generation accelerators used in wide-ranging national security, scientific discovery, and energy security applications. The impedance-matched Marx generator (IMG) is radically different but simple in design, efficient, and a fraction of the size and cost of current capabilities. A Livermore-led research team is pursuing further development after successful tests of a prototype IMG matched theoretical predictions.
Space domain awareness is the focus of the second research highlight, "Advancing Security in Space." Livermore is making important contributions to protect our national security interests against new and evolving threats to vital space assets. The tracking and characterization of satellites, debris, and naturally occurring objects is imperative. We apply unique capabilities to rapidly develop advanced optical imaging payloads for small satellites that can track the path of other satellites, locate unexpected objects, and study terrestrial phenomena or distant stars and galaxies. Our researchers are also applying ML to deliver improved tools for analyzing the massive amounts of collected data and developing, in cooperation with NASA, a ground station to help service lower budget space missions.
Our third highlight, "Lowering California’s Carbon Removal Barriers," focuses on the Laboratory’s efforts to transform innovative carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies into community action, supporting the State of California’s 2045 carbon neutrality goal. Livermore’s neighboring Central Valley both suffers from climate change and offers great opportunities to implement CDR measures through improved farming practices and geological storage. The highlight describes our many engagement efforts to inform communities and farmers of CDR’s benefits, pursue partnerships with educational institutions, and engage local entrepreneurs.
Big ideas and leading-edge S&T have long been the hallmarks of the Laboratory. As we continue to innovate and transform, we build on our legacy, creating new solutions and new approaches to national and global security.
