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Reposted

Julia M. Rohrer @dingdingpeng.the100.ci · 7d

Cool episode on how AI can help us design new proteins (e.g., for vaccines).

I’d heard of AlphaFold before, but not of ProteinMPNN. You feed a protein structure into PMPNN & generate possible sequences of amino acids. And then you feed those into AlphaFold to check whether they’d fold up that way!

Saloni @scientificdiscovery.dev · 7d

New episode of HARD DRUGS!

AlphaFold, ProteinMPNN & other AI tools are transforming biology and drug design.

But how do they work? What can’t they do? And can we use them to make a vaccine against Strep A for the very first time?

In this episode, Jacob and I talk about hacking proteins with AI.

Hacking proteins with AI

open.spotify.com

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jacobtref.bsky.social @jacobtref.bsky.social · 7d

me too!

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jacobtref.bsky.social @jacobtref.bsky.social · 7d

Hearing a lot about AI designing drugs, but not sure what specifically that means?

Ever wonder how AlphaFold works, or what practical problems it helps with?

How rattan daybeds can hold their own in a modern home?

This episode is for you!

Saloni @scientificdiscovery.dev · 7d

New episode of HARD DRUGS!

AlphaFold, ProteinMPNN & other AI tools are transforming biology and drug design.

But how do they work? What can’t they do? And can we use them to make a vaccine against Strep A for the very first time?

In this episode, Jacob and I talk about hacking proteins with AI.

Hacking proteins with AI

open.spotify.com

2 11

Reposted

Rafe Meager (they/them) @economeager.bsky.social · 10d

every time i feel bad about writing long essays / blog posts i think, no. what would saloni and jacob do.

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Reposted

Saloni @scientificdiscovery.dev · 21d

The reviews are in!

"I heard it just now! So good 😊" – my mom

"Just listened to the new insulin episode and loved it." – @rossaokod.bsky.social

"you should have added 5 more minutes on how early researchers checked for the sweetness of animal urine..." – @pseudoerasmus.bsky.social

Saloni @scientificdiscovery.dev · 22d

New podcast episode of HARD DRUGS!

A hundred years ago, insulin was scraped from pig pancreases.
Today, it’s made by bacteria in giant tanks.

In this episode, we cover 100 years of insulin … in 15 minutes!

100 years of insulin in 15 minutes

open.spotify.com

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Reposted

Andy Purkiss @andypurk.bsky.social · 22d

1/3 As someone diagnosed as Type 1 in 1976, I can remember beginning on porcine insulin (bovine was another alternative). The first "human" insulin I had was actually enzymatically modified porcine. I started with glass syringes, with exchangeable all metal needles, stored in methylated spirit.

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jacobtref.bsky.social @jacobtref.bsky.social · 22d

Very interesting. Thank you so much for sharing!

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jacobtref.bsky.social @jacobtref.bsky.social · 22d

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

100 years of insulin in 15 minutes

Podcast Episode · Hard Drugs · 09/16/2025 · 18m

podcasts.apple.com

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jacobtref.bsky.social @jacobtref.bsky.social · 22d

Last episode: an introduction to what proteins are

This episode: proteins can be medicines!

Insulin is a protein. 104 years ago, no one with diabetes had been injected with it, then came insulin from animals, then came bioreactors...

Saloni @scientificdiscovery.dev · 22d

New podcast episode of HARD DRUGS!

A hundred years ago, insulin was scraped from pig pancreases.
Today, it’s made by bacteria in giant tanks.

In this episode, we cover 100 years of insulin … in 15 minutes!

100 years of insulin in 15 minutes

open.spotify.com

1 3 6

Reposted

Julia M. Rohrer @dingdingpeng.the100.ci · Sep 4

Saloni and Jacob have a natural way to make everything sound like it’s the coolest thing in the world, so naturally I’m now all on board of the protein train 🚂

Saloni @scientificdiscovery.dev · Sep 3

NEW EPISODE of HARD DRUGS!

“5 hours is too long!” some of you said after our first episode. So our second episode is 20 minutes 🤭

@jacobtref.bsky.social and I explore the world of proteins: how proteins fold into complex shapes, why complexity matters, how crowded and dynamic a cell really is.

Proteins: Weird blobs that do important things

open.spotify.com

2 4 16

jacobtref.bsky.social @jacobtref.bsky.social · Sep 3

AI for protein design won a Nobel Prize last year. Are new protein drugs to cure diseases on their way?

This episode introduces what proteins are. You can listen to it on its own, or as the first plank of us answering that question. Subscribe in a podcast app for future planks!

Saloni @scientificdiscovery.dev · Sep 3

NEW EPISODE of HARD DRUGS!

“5 hours is too long!” some of you said after our first episode. So our second episode is 20 minutes 🤭

@jacobtref.bsky.social and I explore the world of proteins: how proteins fold into complex shapes, why complexity matters, how crowded and dynamic a cell really is.

Proteins: Weird blobs that do important things

open.spotify.com

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jacobtref.bsky.social @jacobtref.bsky.social · Aug 25

life of the statistical paparazzi

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jacobtref.bsky.social @jacobtref.bsky.social · Aug 25

I randomly sampled 1 day later and 1 block away from the original photo. Claim supported ✅

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jacobtref.bsky.social @jacobtref.bsky.social · Aug 24

Reader, the gelato progressed

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jacobtref.bsky.social @jacobtref.bsky.social · Aug 5

For readers who are sceptical of the promises they've heard about AI, I wrote this piece.

I am more optimistic. I think AI will be a big deal in helping develop new lifesaving drugs:

blog.jacobtrefethen.com/ai-optimism/

Hope you enjoy!

AI could help lead to an Alzheimer’s cure

Lana Del Rey’s “Young and Beautiful” starts with piano keys, church bells, violins soaring through the first verse. Then a drum roll, and Lana belts out: Will you still love me when I’m no longer you...

blog.jacobtrefethen.com

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jacobtref.bsky.social @jacobtref.bsky.social · Aug 5

I found it difficult to write about the topic for a unified audience, since, in my experience, people have very different starting beliefs about it.

For readers who suspect AI might change everything soon, I wrote this, with a bunch of questions & responses:

blog.jacobtrefethen.com/ai-san-franc...

AI will not suddenly lead to an Alzheimer’s cure

I work on funding science for the sake of medical progress, but only 10% of our science funding at Open Philanthropy is related to AI. The whole premise of Open Philanthropy is we try to allocate mone...

blog.jacobtrefethen.com

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jacobtref.bsky.social @jacobtref.bsky.social · Aug 5

Over the weekend I published an essay series on a question I've been thinking about for a while:

What does AI progress mean for medical progress?

It starts with this 500 word piece. If you want more after that, there are 10,000 words of forking paths:

blog.jacobtrefethen.com/ai-progress-...

What does AI progress mean for medical progress?

Rapid AI progress does not automatically mean rapid medical progress. If the point of AI progress is human flourishing, we must make other complementary investments too. Even with extremely powerful A...

blog.jacobtrefethen.com

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Reposted

Matt Clancy @mattsclancy.bsky.social · Jul 9

The Abundance and Growth Fund at Open Philanthropy is hiring! We’re looking for 2-4 people to help expand this new $120+ million program to accelerate economic growth and reduce the cost of living through strategic grantmaking and research. (1/4) www.openphilanthropy.org/research/ann...

Announcing Our New $120M Abundance And Growth Fund | Open Philanthropy

We are excited to announce the launch of our new Abundance and Growth Fund, which will spend at least $120 million over the next three years to accelerate economic growth and boost scientific and tech...

www.openphilanthropy.org

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Reposted

Dan Elton @delton.bsky.social · Jul 7

Periodic reminder of this article by @jacobtref.bsky.social: blog.jacobtrefethen.com/10-technolog...

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Reposted

Hannah Ritchie @hannahritchie.bsky.social · Jul 1

In the 1980s, many thought tuberculosis was on the path to elimination. In reality, more were dying from the disease than ever.

The second article in our series on Tuberculosis: ourworldindata.org/the-end-of-t...

The end of tuberculosis that wasn’t

In the 1980s, many thought tuberculosis was on the path to elimination. In reality, more were dying from the disease than ever.

ourworldindata.org

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Reposted

Stuart Bratton 🇪🇺🇨🇦🇩🇪🇬🇧 @stuartbratton.emergentdrift.com · Jun 26

I am thankful every day for the work of scientists working to cure HIV/AIDS. We come such a long way.

I lost some amazing people to AIDS and they are missed every single day. I am so happy that this heartbreak can now be avoided thanks to these antivirals.

I still have hope for a cure one day.

Saloni @scientificdiscovery.dev · Jun 25

Excellent piece on some of the scientists behind lenacapavir, the HIV antiviral that could be scaled up to change the course of the HIV epidemic worldwide.

STAT @statnews.com · Jun 23

Gilead’s twice-a-year HIV prevention drug lenacapavir is 30 years in the making. Here’s the story behind it.
www.statnews.com/2025/06/23/f...

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Reposted

Saloni @scientificdiscovery.dev · Jun 25

Excellent piece on some of the scientists behind lenacapavir, the HIV antiviral that could be scaled up to change the course of the HIV epidemic worldwide.

STAT @statnews.com · Jun 23

Gilead’s twice-a-year HIV prevention drug lenacapavir is 30 years in the making. Here’s the story behind it.
www.statnews.com/2025/06/23/f...

The decades-long journey to Gilead’s twice-a-year HIV prevention drug lenacapavir

Gilead’s twice-a-year HIV prevention drug lenacapavir is 30 years in the making. Here’s the story behind it.

www.statnews.com

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Reposted

Alexander Berger @albrgr.bsky.social · Jun 25

Great article on the origins of lenacapavir, the amazingly effective HIV prevention drug approved by the FDA last week:
bsky.app/profile/sta...

STAT (@statnews.com)

Gilead’s twice-a-year HIV prevention drug lenacapavir is 30 years in the making. Here’s the story behind it. https://www.statnews.com/2025/06/23/fda-approval-lenacapavir-yeztugo-gilead-history-development-breakthrough-william-pao/?utm_source=bluesky&utm_campaign=bluesky_organic&utm_medium=social

bsky.app

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jacobtref.bsky.social @jacobtref.bsky.social · Jun 24

See, it only takes two weeks to finish, and then you're free... free to start the follow on reading... Go on, why not start listening today... 😈

open.spotify.com/show/7CgKi9l...

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Reposted

Joey Politano🏳️‍🌈 @josephpolitano.bsky.social · Jun 24

Listen to Saloni’s podcast if you want a 5hr drug discovery overview so good it made me cry at multiple points

Saloni @scientificdiscovery.dev · Jun 11

LAUNCH DAY 🚀

Today I’m launching a new podcast, Hard Drugs, with Jacob Trefethen (@jacobtref.bsky.social)

Our first episode is about lenacapavir — a new HIV drug that blocks infections with an efficacy rate of nearly 100%, and which could completely change the fight against HIV worldwide.

Lenacapavir: The miracle drug that could end AIDS

Hard Drugs · Episode

open.spotify.com

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