Fourth-year medical student Anthony Wong’s research into that question was honored in the 2026 AMA Research Challenge. Learn more.
Problems demand innovative solutions
Type 2 diabetes and obesity pose significant global health challenges, impacting millions and incurring substantial healthcare costs. The CDC estimates over 36 million U.S. adults have type 2 diabetes, accounting for a quarter of 2021 healthcare spending, while 40.3% of adults had obesity in 2024. The AMA is actively developing tools and resources for prevention and management strategies, such as AMA MAP™ Prediabetes Solutions. Prompted by promising results from GLP-1 agonists, researchers like Anthony Wong are exploring innovative AI applications in drug discovery to find more effective medications for these metabolic disorders.
Research with long-term implications
Anthony Wong's research, recognized at the 2025 AMA Research Challenge, utilized AI technology to design drugs targeting three key hormone receptors: GLP-1, glucagon, and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). These receptors play a crucial role in regulating blood sugar and body weight. By combining a 3D peptide shape model with genetic algorithms, his team successfully generated 20 new peptide sequences with high accuracy, indicating significant potential for accelerating drug discovery and reducing development costs. Wong plans to continue integrating AI into his medical practice, aiming to improve patient treatments for conditions he encounters clinically.
