The Chain: Protein Engineering Podcast

Cambridge Healthtech Institute
  • 4.8 (25)
  • LIFE SCIENCES
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

The Chain explores the lives, careers, research, and discoveries of protein engineers and scientists, the impact their work is having on the field, and where the industry is headed. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the newest advancements and to hear the stories that are impacting the world of biologics.

  1. Episode: 77 - Derek Lowe on AI and the US Biotech Ecosystem

    2D AGO

    Episode: 77 - Derek Lowe on AI and the US Biotech Ecosystem

    September 16, 2025 | With the rise of AI and automation, what is the core human skill in drug discovery that is and will be valuable in the future? Derek Lowe, director of Chemical Biology Therapeutics at Novartis and author of the In the Pipeline blog, discusses the impact of AI—and non-AI technologies—on the business of drug making. With host Christopher Bahl, cofounder and CEO of AI Proteins, their conversation covers the value of a PhD in the tech world today, the long-term impacts of knowledge creation in US leadership positions, how the industry can navigate a biotech winter, and more.  Links from this episode:   AI Proteins Novartis  In the Pipeline

    42 min
  2. Alexey Lugovskoy Shares Decades of Experience in Starting Out and Founding Companies

    AUG 12

    Alexey Lugovskoy Shares Decades of Experience in Starting Out and Founding Companies

    August 12, 2025 | Diagonal Therapeutics founder and CEO Alexey Lugovskoy discusses the key lessons learned over his illustrious career, starting from his childhood in the Soviet Union to founding his own company, Diagonal Therapeutics. With host Tariq Ghayur, Lugovskoy shares insights gained from working with organizations of different sizes, taking on the obstacles of building a pipeline, and integrating AI/ML into discovery programs, as well as his most memorable achievement—and most memorable failure. He also offers advice to young scientists and entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of challenging problems and surrounding yourself with the right people.

    47 min
  3. Episode: 75 - Are Licensing Fees Required or Gatekeeping?

    JUL 29

    Episode: 75 - Are Licensing Fees Required or Gatekeeping?

    July 15, 2025 | Are licensing fees required or gatekeeping? In this episode of The Chain, host Nimish Gera, vice president of Biologics at Mythic Therapeutics, and Ian Wilkinson, CEO of Gamma Proteins, discuss accessing antibody discovery technology through licensing fees and royalties—and whether these fees are justified or not. Wilkinson delves into the current landscape of antibody discovery technologies, including if AI-based technology warrants fees, how royalties affect both small companies and big pharma, and his background as one of the first experts in the field who offered purely free-for-service options. He also shares what excites him about antibody engineering and beyond.  Links from this episode:   Mythic Therapeutics  Gamma Proteins

    33 min
  4. Episode: 74 - Keith Flaherty, President-Elect of AACR, on Public and Private Collabs, AI Optimism, and More

    JUN 11

    Episode: 74 - Keith Flaherty, President-Elect of AACR, on Public and Private Collabs, AI Optimism, and More

    June 10, 2025 | In this bonus episode of The Chain, Daniel Chen, MD, PhD, founder and CEO of Synthetic Design Lab, returns for the Science Commune segment and speaks with Keith Flaherty, MD, FAACR, professor of Medicine of Harvard Medical School and president-elect of AACR. They discuss Flaherty’s prolific career; how his background led him to pursue a career in medicine; how public and private sectors are coming together in oncology around collaborations; reflections on targeted therapies and technologies; optimism around how AI will impact society and the future of medicine positively; and how we need to detect and treat disease early.  Links from this episode:   PEGS Boston Conference & Expo  Engineering Bispecific Antibodies  Synthetic Design Lab  Harvard Medical School  AACR

    47 min
  5. Episode: 73 - PANEL DISCUSSION: Near-Term Challenges for AI/ML in Biotherapeutic R&D

    JUN 10

    Episode: 73 - PANEL DISCUSSION: Near-Term Challenges for AI/ML in Biotherapeutic R&D

    June 10, 2025 | This episode of The Chain features a panel discussion from May’s PEGS Boston. Moderated by Peter Tessier, Albert M. Mattocks professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemical Engineering at the University of Michigan, the panelists include Sarel Fleishman, professor of Biomolecular Sciences at the Weizmann Institute of Science; Kadina Johnston, senior specialist of Discovery Biologics at Merck & Co.; Vincent Ling, chief business officer of Morphocell Technologies; Arvind Rajpal, SVP of Xaira; and Max Vasquez, chief computing officer of Adimab. Together they discuss benchmarking AI/ML methods compared to traditional approaches, development of human-relevant training data, identifying and addressing core challenges in de novo designs, and more.  Links from this episode:   PEGS Boston Conference & Expo  Engineering Bispecific Antibodies  University of Michigan  University of Michigan Chemical Engineering  Weizmann Institute of Science  Scala Biodesign  Merck & Co., Inc.  Morphocell Technologies  Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation  Xaira  Adimab LLC

    1h 1m
  6. Episode: 72 - Pamela Barney on HR Lessons to Meet the Needs of Biotech

    MAY 13

    Episode: 72 - Pamela Barney on HR Lessons to Meet the Needs of Biotech

    In this episode of The Chain, host Tariq Ghayur, PhD, Tariq Ghayur Consulting, LLC, talks with Pamela Barney, former associate director of HR, AbbVie, about her career within biotech/pharma organizations and some key lessons learned, such as taking advantage of your contacts and network, managing diverse workforces, and HR’s role in creating an engaged team. Barney also discusses why she entered the HR field and the challenges of culture changes when transitioning from a small organization to a large company.  AbbVie: https://www.abbvie.com/

    35 min
  7. PEGS Young Scientist Keynote Jessica Stark on the Role of Glycans in Cancer Research

    APR 15

    PEGS Young Scientist Keynote Jessica Stark on the Role of Glycans in Cancer Research

    In this episode of The Chain, host Brandon DeKosky, associate professor, speaks with MIT colleague Jessica Stark, Underwood-Prescott career development professor, about glycans and why they are important in cancer research. Stark discusses how she became interested in immunology, what her PhD and post-doctoral training was like, her thoughts on singlets operating as part of a network of checkpoint molecules, and what’s currently going on in glycobiology. She also talks about her keynote presentation at PEGS 2025 and what her new lab is working on.  LINKS: MIT Department of Chemical Engineering MIT Department of Biological Engineering MIT

    29 min
  8. Episode: 70 - Views on Machine Learning and AI in the Antibody and Protein Engineering Space

    MAR 12

    Episode: 70 - Views on Machine Learning and AI in the Antibody and Protein Engineering Space

    March 11, 2025 | In this episode of The Chain, host Andrew Buchanan, principal scientist at AstraZeneca, and Andreas Plückthun, professor and head of biochemistry at the University of Zurich, discuss AI/ML technologies in the antibody and protein engineering space. Plückthun shares his perspectives on what technologies show promise and success, why the definition of epitope is important when developing a drug, and what aspects he expects to improve in the ML field in the future.

    50 min
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4.8
out of 5
25 Ratings

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The Chain explores the lives, careers, research, and discoveries of protein engineers and scientists, the impact their work is having on the field, and where the industry is headed. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the newest advancements and to hear the stories that are impacting the world of biologics.

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