AI-Generated Genomes, Retinal Implants, and Palomar’s Mystery Lights Explained (EP. 15)

From First Principles · Nov 6, 2025 · 2h 3m · transcript

AI, Eyes, and the Sky — From Synthetic Genomes to Restored Vision and Cosmic Mysteries

Hosted by Lester Nare and Krishna Choudhary, this episode of From First Principles explores three cutting-edge breakthroughs connecting medicine, technology, and astronomy.

Summary

• AI for Oncology, Minus the Privacy Risk: University of Toronto researchers develop OncoGAN—a generative model that creates realistic synthetic cancer genomes to accelerate precision oncology while protecting patient data.

• Restoring Sight: The PRIMA (PRIMAvera) trial in NEJM demonstrates how a wireless sub-retinal photovoltaic…