New Partnerships With Google, Microsoft

The University is teaming up with MICROSOFT and GOOGLE to tackle problems in microbiology and artificial intelligence.

The Microsoft collaboration will try to better understand the mechanisms of biofilm formation. Biofilms — thin, often slimy layers of bacteria buildup — are the leading cause of microbial infection worldwide, killing as many people as cancer does. A Microsoft team will provide advanced cloud and machine-learning technology, working with molecular biology department chair Bonnie Bassler and Professor Ned Wingreen.

Google opened an artificial-intelligence lab on Palmer Square in January for collaboration with Princeton researchers, led by computer science professors Elad Hazan *06 and Yoram Singer.

Faculty members, student researchers, recent graduates, and software engineers will focus on machine learning, a discipline in which computers learn from existing information and develop the ability to draw conclusions and make decisions in new situations.