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The DeSci Podcast

Latest episodes

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May 2, 2024 • 47min

Diagnosing the drug R&D productivity decline with Dr Jack Scannell

In this episode, we discuss the problem of declining R&D efficiency with Dr. Jack Scannell, a scientist and entrepreneur who is well known for coining the term “Eroom’s law,” which highlights the decline in pharmaceutical research and development (R&D) productivity over several decades. In this episode, Jack sheds light on the root causes of this decline, beginning with a critique of the poor quality of diagnosis surrounding the R&D productivity problem. He also talks about the challenges in accurately measuring progress in drug research, highlighting the "measurement problem" in the drug industry. Jack suggests adopting a model akin to the "Stern Review” to improve the diagnosis of these challenges. Jack also addresses topics such as the shift in the frequency of serendipitous drug discoveries, the Eroom’s law article, the entanglement of science, money and drug development and many more. Feel free to navigate through any of the topics discussed in the Podcast using the timestamps below. ___ ⭐ Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 01:40 Poor quality of diagnosis of the R&D productivity problem 04:01 The measurement problem 09:21 Chesterton’s fence of R&D 14:38 Science, Drug development, Money. 20:46 The role of Serendipity in drug discovery 26:34 Economics in the drug industry. 34:43 Implicit knowledge within Biotech 41:43 Eroom's Law paper ____ If you prefer listening to podcasts on audio apps, feel free to search for "The DeSci Podcast" on Spotify, Google Podcasts & Apple Podcasts. You'll also find all links to the podcast apps below. If you want to join us on the show as a speaker or have guest ideas, please shoot us an mail at podcast@molecule.to Special thanks to Lea Degen: https://twitter.com/lealeata Jack Scannell: https://twitter.com/JackScannell13 ____ Let's connect: Website: https://bit.ly/3d6nh2C X: https://twitter.com/Molecule_dao Discord: https://discord.com/invite/moleculedao
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Apr 9, 2024 • 1h 6min

How ResearchHub Makes Open Science Rewarding by Reinventing Academic Incentives

Join Jeffrey Koury and Jonathan Heppner in a discussion on ResearchHub's mission to revolutionize scientific research by promoting open collaboration. They explore the shortcomings of the current research model and the importance of building better incentive structures. Dive into topics like the role of ResearchHub in scientific literature, public versus anonymous peer review, and the significance of books in academia.
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Mar 23, 2024 • 50min

Seemay Chou on Arcadia's Revolutionary Approach to Science and Entrepreneurship

Today we are delighted to host Seemay Chow, Co-founder and CEO of Arcadia Science, a for-profit research institute with a specific focus on novel model organisms that haven't been traditionally studied in the lab and translating discoveries into commercial ventures. In this episode, we discuss Arcadia’s mission, structure and approach, emphasizing the importance of providing scientists with the context needed to understand the practical applications of their research. Seemay explains how this approach fosters a different kind of creativity among researchers, thus increasing the likelihood of research success. We also explore the limitations researchers face in the traditional setting while further highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of Academia and industry. Other topics we touched on include notions of diversity in science, strategies for spotting the best talents and ideas to fund, and many more. Feel free to navigate through the various topics covered in the Podcast using the timestamps provided below. ___ ⭐ Timestamps: 0:00 Intro. 0:49 Effects of running a for-profit venture on Arcadia’s structure. 3:05 What is Arcadia? 7:35 Researchers limitations in Academia. 11:45 Academia vs the private sector. 16:21 Insights gained from building Arcadia. 27:54 Arcadia structure. 30:38 Diversity in science. 35:24 Strategies for discovering the best talents. 43:28 Contextualizing science. 49:50 Outro. ____ If you prefer listening to podcasts on audio apps, feel free to search for "The DeSci Podcast" on Spotify, Google Podcasts & Apple Podcasts. You'll also find all links to the podcast apps below. If you want to join us on the show as a speaker or have guest ideas, please shoot us an mail at podcast@molecule.to Special thanks to Lea Degen: https://twitter.com/lealeata Seemay Chou: https://twitter.com/seemaychou ____ Let's connect: Website: https://bit.ly/3d6nh2C X: https://twitter.com/Molecule_dao Discord: https://discord.com/invite/moleculedao
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Mar 9, 2024 • 1h 9min

The DeSci London Conference 2024: A Preview with Alfred Brown

Welcome to another episode of the DeSci podcast. Today, we were joined by Alfred Brown, co-founder of Desci London, a community dedicated to transforming science through web3 technology. In this episode, we talked about the DeSci London conference (scheduled for Saturday, 23 Mar 2024, 09:30 - Sunday, 24 Mar 2024, 16:30 GMT). This two-day event aims to spotlight the transformative potential of blockchain technology in the field of science, covering agendas such as Longevity research, Rare diseases, DeSci Tooling and Infrastructure, Climate tech innovations, Women’s health, and more. Alfred shares insights into the event's objectives, potential speakers, and details on how to livestream for those unable to attend in person. In addition to the main discussion, we explored the intersection between web3 and science, the importance of community in Desci, and several other topics. Feel free to navigate through the various topics covered in the Podcast using the timestamps provided below. ___ ⭐ Timestamps: 0:00 intro 1:16 Alfred’s journey into DeSci. 04:57 What was your experience diving into blockchain as a beginner? 07:12 Recommendations for scientists venturing into DeSci. 11:34 DeSci London event. 16:55 How to apply for the travel grant. 22:38 The role of art and creativity in science. 28:33 Community-building in DeSci. 29:54 How to find the DeSci London monthly meetups. 30:46 Insights for aspiring Desci community builders. 37:22 Potential speakers for the event. 45:36 How to live stream the DeSci London event. 49:29 Other notable DeSci events. 52:23 Impact of younger generations in DeSci. 56:00 Molecule and Nucleate partnership. 58:48 The necessity of community in Desci. 1:08:09 Outro ____ If you prefer listening to podcasts on audio apps, feel free to search for "The DeSci Podcast" on Spotify, Google Podcasts & Apple Podcasts. You'll also find all links to the podcast apps below. If you want to join us on the show as a speaker or have guest ideas, please shoot us an mail at podcast@molecule.to Special thanks to Ella McCarthy-Page: https://twitter.com/EMcCarthyPage Alfred Brown: https://twitter.com/AlfredJBrown99 ____ Let's connect: Website: https://bit.ly/3d6nh2C X: https://twitter.com/Molecule_dao Discord: https://discord.com/invite/moleculedao
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Jan 29, 2024 • 47min

Challenging the Status Quo: Stuart Buck on Science Funding & Research

Welcome to another episode of the DeSci Podcast! Today, we are delighted to host Stuart Buck. Stuart serves as a Senior Advisor at the Social Science Research Council and is the Executive Director of the Good Science Project—an organization dedicated to enhancing the funding and practice of science. In this episode, Stuart addresses key challenges in the scientific landscape, such as bureaucratic obstacles to funding and the distinction between basic and applied science. He emphasizes the interconnected nature of basic and applied research, highlighting how discoveries from basic research lay the foundation for applied innovations and challenges addressed through applied science inspire new questions in basic research. Moving further, Stuart shares his view on the metaphor of failure in science. According to him, failure is not synonymous with defeat; instead, encountering failures in scientific endeavors indicates that one is posing pertinent questions and pushing the boundaries of knowledge. Other topics covered in the podcast include scientific reproducibility, the measurement problem in science, enforcing data accessibility, and many more. Feel free to navigate through the various topics covered in the Podcast using the timestamps provided below. ___ ⭐ Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 01:27 Good science project main focus. 03:37 Stuart’s theory of social change 10:04 Areas that need improvement 13:00 Recommendation for young researchers 17:35 Why grantmakers tend to be conservative in funding basic science 21:45 Basic vs Applied research 24:15 The notion of failure in science 30:59 Revisiting anti-portfolio 37:37 The value of funding replication in research 43:45 The problem with metrics 46:49 Outro ____ If you prefer listening to podcasts on audio apps, feel free to search for "The DeSci Podcast" on Spotify, Google Podcasts & Apple Podcasts. You'll also find all links to the podcast apps below. If you want to join us on the show as a speaker or have guest ideas, please shoot us an mail at podcast@molecule.to Special thanks to Lea Degen: https://twitter.com/lealeata Stuart Buck: https://twitter.com/stuartbuck1 ____ Let's connect: Website: https://bit.ly/3d6nh2C X: https://twitter.com/Molecule_dao Discord: https://discord.com/invite/moleculedao
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Jan 17, 2024 • 36min

Advancing Research in Brain Health and Longevity through Decentralized Science | Brian Magierski

Brian Magierski, CEO and Founder of Cerebrum DAO, discusses the mission behind Cerebrum DAO, the motivations behind his interest in brain health research, and why he chose the DAO model. They also touch on topics like collaborating with biotech companies, maintaining scientific quality in decentralized funding, and how DAOs enable entrepreneurship.
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Dec 1, 2023 • 36min

Keith Comito's Insights on Aging Research and Lifespan Extension

Keith Comito, President at Lifespan, shares insights on aging research, attitudes towards lifespan extension, and the impact aging research can have on humanity. They discuss the relevance of studying history in tech, the limits to extending lifespan, and pros and cons of traditional science methods. The podcast explores contentious topics within the aging research field, the influence of religion on perspectives of aging, and the significance of aging research for societal benefits.
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Nov 14, 2023 • 40min

Michael Baran on Decentralized Science and Investing in Blockchain Technology

Welcome to another episode of the DeSci Podcast. Today, we had the privilege of having Michael Baran as our guest. Michael Baran, MBA, Ph.D. is Executive Director, WRDM, and partner at Pfizer Ventures. In this episode, Michael discusses the unique features of DeSci, highlighting how it is reshaping the scientific landscape and redefining traditional paradigms. We also explored the significant risks in early-stage science investment and discussed key factors deterring investors from entering the cryptocurrency and blockchain sectors. Michael draws insightful comparisons between DeSci and the Traditional model, exploring both their similarities and differences. Other topics we discussed are the underappreciated values of traditional biotech, common misconceptions about Biopharma, the need for maintaining scientific quality, and many more. Feel free to navigate any topics discussed in the Podcast using the timestamps below. ___ ⭐ Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 1:07 What is the strong case for DeSci? 2:57 Advantages of DeSci Over Traditional Biotech 3:00 Risks associated with investing in early-stage science 4:35 DeSci vs. Traditional Model: Similarities and differences 7:38 Strongest critique of Desci 11:09 Measuring success 13:26 Underexplored areas in Biopharma 15:32 Common misconceptions about Biopharma 16:51 Pfizer partnership models 23:40 Underappreciated values of traditional Biotech 26:43 Maintaining scientific quality 28:40 Contentious topics within your field 31:14 Implicit knowledge in Biopharma 34:26 Recurring challenges in Michael's career 35:42 Selecting the best ideas 39:18 Outro ____ If you prefer listening to podcasts on audio apps, feel free to search for "The DeSci Podcast" on Spotify, Google Podcasts & Apple Podcasts. You'll also find all links to the podcast apps below. If you want to join us on the show as a speaker or have guest ideas, please shoot us an mail at podcast@molecule.to Special thanks to Lea Degen: https://twitter.com/lealeata Michael Baran: https://twitter.com/scienceman2023 ____ Let's connect: Website: https://bit.ly/3d6nh2C X: https://twitter.com/Molecule_dao Discord: https://discord.com/invite/moleculedao
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Sep 20, 2023 • 42min

The Decentralized Biotech Movement with Dr. Jocelynn Pearl (LabDAO)

Dr. Jocelynn Pearl, biotech scientist and co-founder of LabDAO, discusses the birth of Decentralized Biotech, the importance of incentivizing knowledge sharing, pros and cons of centralization in Biotech, limits of online collaboration, sharing tacit knowledge, funding for good projects, and contentious topics within LabDAO.
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Sep 8, 2023 • 1h 55min

Juan Benet on the Translational Science Problem, AGI and Decentralized Science

Juan Benet, Founder of Protocol Labs, discusses the translational science problem, cryptocurrency's impact on research, and the intersection of AI and future society.

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