E148 Luca Naef, Head of Analytics at VantAI

Today's guest is Luca Naef, Head of Analytics at VantAI in New York. Founded in 2019, VantAI pairs bleeding-edge machine learning techniques with deep systems biology expertise to build computational models that uncover hidden relationships between molecules, targets and diseases.

VantAI's in silico platform specializes in modelling complex protein-protein interactions, powering the discovery of biologics and protein degraders in addition to small-molecule drugs. It has helped leading biopharma partners launch new development programs--or revitalize old ones--at a fraction of the time and cost of traditional methods.

In the episode, Luca will tell you about:

His journey to joining VantAI,

VantAI’s mission within drug discovery,

How Artificial Intelligence enhances drug discovery,

Common challenges they need to overcome in HealthTech,

What attracted him to join VantAI,

and What he looks for in the hiring process