# Virtual cells help researchers distinguish how drugs affect living cells

_Published Sunday, September 20, 2026 at 1:07 PM EDT · Science, AI · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

![Virtual cells help researchers distinguish how drugs affect living cells — Primary](https://scx2.b-cdn.net/gfx/news/2026/a-composite-image-show.jpg)

UC San Diego researchers built two computer models that track how mitochondria, the energy-producing structures inside cells, move and change shape after drug treatment. Both studies used three-dimensional microscopy movies to capture changes over time.

An AI model trained on 40,000 movies grouped drugs by how they act with 75% accuracy, compared with 56% using flat images. A separate physics-based model reproduced the response of a real cancer cell's mitochondria to a drug without further adjustment.

The studies, published in Cell, could help researchers test drug effects with fewer laboratory experiments. The team plans to combine the two approaches.

## Sources

- [Phys.org](https://phys.org/news/2026-09-virtual-cells-built-4d-ai.html)

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Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/tubONmJVSVQ0OeD0KmJgXM
Published: 2026-09-20T17:07:38.825Z
Story chronology: 2026-09-20T16:00:05.000Z
Retrieved: 2026-11-04T21:42:51.380Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)