Machine learning in stem cells research: Application for biosafety and bioefficacy assessment

The applicability of machine learning-based analysis in the field of biomedical field has been very beneficial in determining the biological mechanism and validation for a wide range of biological scenarios. This approach is also gaining momentum in various stem cells research activities, specifically for stem cells characterization and differentiation pattern. The adoption of similar computational approaches to study and assess biosafety and bioefficacy risks of stem cells for clinical application is the next progression. In particular where tumorigenicity has been one of the major concerns in stem cells therapy. There are many factors influencing tumorigenicity in stem cells which may be difficult to capture under conventional laboratory settings. In addition, given the possible multifactorial etiology of tumorigenicity, defining a one-size-fits-all strategy to test such risk in stem cells might not be feasible and may compromise stem cells safety and effectiveness in therapy. Given the increase in biological datasets (which is no longer limited to genomic data) and the advancement of health informatics powered by state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms, there exists a potential for practical application in biosafety and bioefficacy of stem cells therapy. Here, we identified relevant machine learning approaches and suggested protocols intended for stem cells research focusing on the possibility of its usage for stem cells biosafety and bioefficacy assessment. Ultimately, generating models that may assist healthcare professionals to make a better-informed decision in stem cell therapy.