AI in Biology: How ChatGPT Write Your Papers and Grants (Yes, Really!)

Hello, everyone! I’m CK, a biomedical scientist with a master’s degree in Anatomy from Taiwan and a PhD in Molecular Biology from Germany. I’ve spent the past three years working in the In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) industry, primarily in R&D and Regulatory Affairs. Ever since OpenAI released ChatGPT in 2022, I’ve been fascinated by how AI-powered language models can revolutionize biomedical research.

If you’ve ever tried Googling AI in biology, you’ll probably notice that most results focus on AI-driven medical imaging, such as interpreting X-rays for cancer diagnosis or predicting the five-year survival rate of patients. Other popular articles discuss AI’s role in predicting protein structures to expedite drug discovery timelines. However, hardly anyone talks about how AI can benefit biomedical scientists in their daily grind, which mainly consists of just three simple yet exhausting activities:

finding papers, reading papers, and writing papers.

Yes, you heard me right — papers. If you’re a biomedical scientist, these scholarly articles practically define your existence. Scientific journal articles usually have a fixed structure, typically divided into seven sections:

• Title
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Materials and Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• References

And if this wasn’t daunting enough, grant applications — an essential yet draining task for securing research funding — share a similar structure. Thus, crafting well-structured documents consumes a significant chunk of a scientist’s valuable time.

Now, imagine if you had a smart assistant who not only helps you sift through mountains of literature but also composes your manuscripts and grant proposals. Sounds like a dream, right? But it’s actually a reality thanks to advancements in AI and large language models (LLMs).

Scientists have historically hesitated to use AI tools like ChatGPT for scholarly writing due to concerns about accuracy and data reliability. “How can we trust the references generated by an AI?” they’d ask skeptically. However, the arrival of tools like Perplexity AI, which integrates direct sources and provides reliable references, has significantly alleviated these fears. We’re now in the perfect position to embrace AI fully and develop automated workflows that can handle tedious, structured writing tasks efficiently.

But wait, let’s pause a second — am I suggesting that AI will entirely replace scientists in writing research papers and grant applications? Of course not! (Sorry if that disappointed anyone secretly dreaming of early retirement.) However, AI tools like ChatGPT can drastically streamline the writing process, allowing researchers more time to focus on creativity, innovation, and critical thinking — the stuff that genuinely drives scientific progress.

Think about it this way: Using AI to draft papers and grants is akin to having an ultra-efficient intern who never complains, never needs sleep, and definitely doesn’t make excuses when missing deadlines. You simply feed your AI assistant clear, structured prompts or outlines, and voila! You get a well-organized, logically coherent first draft ready for your expert refinement.

Still skeptical? Let me illustrate with an example. Suppose you’re preparing to submit a research manuscript. Typically, you’d spend hours formulating your introduction, carefully referencing background studies, explaining your hypothesis, and setting the stage for your groundbreaking discovery. Now, by integrating ChatGPT or a similar LLM tool, you merely need to outline the key points. The AI quickly generates a concise yet detailed introduction with preliminary references, which you can then verify, adjust, and fine-tune. Suddenly, a process that previously took days becomes doable in hours — or even minutes!

The possibilities don’t stop there. AI can also aid in summarizing complex data, interpreting statistical findings, and even proposing compelling discussion points — tasks that often consume large portions of your mental bandwidth. Additionally, when applying for research grants, AI-driven tools can assist in ensuring that your proposal aligns clearly and consistently with funding agency requirements, greatly enhancing your chances of securing funding.

Throughout my upcoming blog series, I’ll be sharing my own journey of building automated AI-driven workflows to streamline scientific writing and product development. I’ll dive deep into practical tips and share insights I’ve gathered from personal experience.

So, if you’re a biomedical scientist or researcher curious about leveraging AI to transform your day-to-day work and reclaim some sanity, stick around. Subscribe and follow me as we explore the exciting, sometimes hilarious, yet profoundly transformative intersection of biology and AI. Because, let’s face it — writing papers and grants shouldn’t be the reason you question your life choices at 3 AM. Let AI handle the first drafts, so you can focus on the groundbreaking science you’re passionate about. Looking forward to having you along for this exciting journey. Stay curious and keep innovating!