Ben Bellenie
@chemb.bsky.social
Medicinal chemist at ICR London. Lots of proteins being degraded around these parts. I’ll write something more interesting here when I have time, so never. Views my own
Inactive batch 2 and dead cells, were you in our lab meeting this week?! Although we had “literature compound surprisingly working” instead…
I better check the patent updates and submit some more things for hERG just in case this list is fortune telling
I better check the patent updates and submit some more things for hERG just in case this list is fortune telling
When you work in drug discovery there are *so* many ways of hearing you're in for a very bad day.
Efficacy Results Came Back
[competitor] Patent Just Published
Batch Two Looks Inactive
Every Example Has hERG
Literature Compound Isn't Working
The Cells Died... Again
Hits Everything In Selectivity
Efficacy Results Came Back
[competitor] Patent Just Published
Batch Two Looks Inactive
Every Example Has hERG
Literature Compound Isn't Working
The Cells Died... Again
Hits Everything In Selectivity
In honour of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand.
rm -rf ~/
rm -rf ~/
October 12, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Inactive batch 2 and dead cells, were you in our lab meeting this week?! Although we had “literature compound surprisingly working” instead…
I better check the patent updates and submit some more things for hERG just in case this list is fortune telling
I better check the patent updates and submit some more things for hERG just in case this list is fortune telling
Reposted by Ben Bellenie
When you work in drug discovery there are *so* many ways of hearing you're in for a very bad day.
Efficacy Results Came Back
[competitor] Patent Just Published
Batch Two Looks Inactive
Every Example Has hERG
Literature Compound Isn't Working
The Cells Died... Again
Hits Everything In Selectivity
Efficacy Results Came Back
[competitor] Patent Just Published
Batch Two Looks Inactive
Every Example Has hERG
Literature Compound Isn't Working
The Cells Died... Again
Hits Everything In Selectivity
In honour of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand.
rm -rf ~/
rm -rf ~/
"The chancellor approved it"
October 12, 2025 at 12:04 PM
When you work in drug discovery there are *so* many ways of hearing you're in for a very bad day.
Efficacy Results Came Back
[competitor] Patent Just Published
Batch Two Looks Inactive
Every Example Has hERG
Literature Compound Isn't Working
The Cells Died... Again
Hits Everything In Selectivity
Efficacy Results Came Back
[competitor] Patent Just Published
Batch Two Looks Inactive
Every Example Has hERG
Literature Compound Isn't Working
The Cells Died... Again
Hits Everything In Selectivity
important scientific question: would a beer help me finish these overdue meeting slides faster?
October 10, 2025 at 8:11 PM
important scientific question: would a beer help me finish these overdue meeting slides faster?
Reposted by Ben Bellenie
Can confirm the letters turned to mush upon the ground would, in fact, re-assemble into the missing spots on the tree. Fantastic (even if they didn't)!
October 8, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Can confirm the letters turned to mush upon the ground would, in fact, re-assemble into the missing spots on the tree. Fantastic (even if they didn't)!
Interesting read on enshittification…
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Way past its prime: how did Amazon get so rubbish?
Sick of scrolling through junk results, AI-generated ads and links to lookalike products? The author and activist behind the term ‘enshittification’ explains what’s gone wrong with the internet – and ...
www.theguardian.com
October 5, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Interesting read on enshittification…
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Reposted by Ben Bellenie
"of course ChatGPT is full of errors when it comes to my specific area of professional or technical expertise, that's why I only use it for other stuff, where I can't tell if it's bullshit or not"
📰🗞💥
📰🗞💥
September 25, 2025 at 6:29 PM
"of course ChatGPT is full of errors when it comes to my specific area of professional or technical expertise, that's why I only use it for other stuff, where I can't tell if it's bullshit or not"
📰🗞💥
📰🗞💥
Wow. You sure about closing that London site, MSD?
$100,000 H-1B visa fee could be too high for chemistry employers
New fee could have a chilling effect for foreign workers in small companies and academic labs. cen.acs.org/careers/empl... #chemsky 🧪
New fee could have a chilling effect for foreign workers in small companies and academic labs. cen.acs.org/careers/empl... #chemsky 🧪
$100,000 H-1B visa fee could be too high for chemistry employers
New fee could have a chilling effect for foreign workers in small companies and academic labs
cen.acs.org
September 27, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Wow. You sure about closing that London site, MSD?
Reposted by Ben Bellenie
Being owned and financed by a nation state unfair to other teams - Me
September 22, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Being owned and financed by a nation state unfair to other teams - Me
Reposted by Ben Bellenie
I love London so much. So much.
Did you know that London has the lowest level of ethnic violence of any city of comparable size in the world?
Multiculturalism has in fact worked here. They just don’t want it to be true because we happen to have a Muslim mayor.
Did you know that London has the lowest level of ethnic violence of any city of comparable size in the world?
Multiculturalism has in fact worked here. They just don’t want it to be true because we happen to have a Muslim mayor.
September 17, 2025 at 7:50 AM
I love London so much. So much.
Did you know that London has the lowest level of ethnic violence of any city of comparable size in the world?
Multiculturalism has in fact worked here. They just don’t want it to be true because we happen to have a Muslim mayor.
Did you know that London has the lowest level of ethnic violence of any city of comparable size in the world?
Multiculturalism has in fact worked here. They just don’t want it to be true because we happen to have a Muslim mayor.
Reposted by Ben Bellenie
Two very important graphs.
Net migration reached record levels in 2023 - and has since halved.
The vast majority of arrivals comprises students and workers.
Arrivals in small boats and asylum seekers - less than 5%.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Net migration reached record levels in 2023 - and has since halved.
The vast majority of arrivals comprises students and workers.
Arrivals in small boats and asylum seekers - less than 5%.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
September 14, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Two very important graphs.
Net migration reached record levels in 2023 - and has since halved.
The vast majority of arrivals comprises students and workers.
Arrivals in small boats and asylum seekers - less than 5%.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Net migration reached record levels in 2023 - and has since halved.
The vast majority of arrivals comprises students and workers.
Arrivals in small boats and asylum seekers - less than 5%.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Reposted by Ben Bellenie
Reminder that 100,000 people marched for Trans Pride in London earlier this year, but because they weren't violent fascists, there was minimal press coverage, unlike the Nazis today.
https://www.them.us/story/london-trans-pride-march-turnout-record-uk-transphobia
https://www.them.us/story/london-trans-pride-march-turnout-record-uk-transphobia
London’s Trans Pride March Just Shattered Its Turnout Record
Organizers say it was the largest transgender rights march in the world.
www.them.us
September 13, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Reminder that 100,000 people marched for Trans Pride in London earlier this year, but because they weren't violent fascists, there was minimal press coverage, unlike the Nazis today.
https://www.them.us/story/london-trans-pride-march-turnout-record-uk-transphobia
https://www.them.us/story/london-trans-pride-march-turnout-record-uk-transphobia
Reposted by Ben Bellenie
Breaking news consumer's handbook
September 10, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Breaking news consumer's handbook
Reposted by Ben Bellenie
![Comic. Dimensional Lumber Tape Measure. [mockup of “2x4” piece of wood showing the dimensions as 1½“ by 3 ½“] Dimensional lumber sizes are tricky. A “2x4” is actually 1½“ by 3 ½“, and a “1x8” is ¾“ by 7⅛“. [two tape measures: one is labeled 12’, the other 12’*] If you know someone into carpentry or woodworking, get them our *dimensional lumber tape measure*. [A “normal tape measure” with even increments and a “dimensional lumber tape measure” with increments at different lengths for each inch] *Don’t tell them you got it*—just leave it in their toolbox. They’ll appreciate the surprise when all their measurements work out!](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreigv4ewit5j2o4jyy5twrm5kz4bv5iq7ve72fg7b6dncksdluntfnq@jpeg)
September 8, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Love this! great science, a great team of people with shared goal and yes, some stubbornness too are always needed!
Research is never a solo effort.
It takes teamwork. It takes belief. It takes collaboration across disciplines, institutions, and communities.
We know what it takes to beat blood cancer.
#BloodCancerAwarenessMonth
@bloodcanceruk.bsky.social @sussexbcr.bsky.social @sussexcancer.org 🩸
It takes teamwork. It takes belief. It takes collaboration across disciplines, institutions, and communities.
We know what it takes to beat blood cancer.
#BloodCancerAwarenessMonth
@bloodcanceruk.bsky.social @sussexbcr.bsky.social @sussexcancer.org 🩸
September 4, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Love this! great science, a great team of people with shared goal and yes, some stubbornness too are always needed!
Come and work with @andreascarpino.bsky.social and develop your in silico chemistry skills working on @icr.ac.uk cancer drug discovery projects. Learn stuff, discover new cancer medicines, what’s not to like :-)
We're #hiring! 💻💊
Our @compchem-icr.bsky.social team is seeking to recruit a #postdoc to contribute to breakthrough cancer #drugdiscovery at @icr.ac.uk
📅 Application deadline: 12-September-2025
📍 Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery, Sutton, UK
jobs.icr.ac.uk/vacancies/13...
#CADD #compchem #cheminfo
Our @compchem-icr.bsky.social team is seeking to recruit a #postdoc to contribute to breakthrough cancer #drugdiscovery at @icr.ac.uk
📅 Application deadline: 12-September-2025
📍 Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery, Sutton, UK
jobs.icr.ac.uk/vacancies/13...
#CADD #compchem #cheminfo
Postdoctoral Training Fellow - In Silico Medicinal Chemistry in Sutton | The Institute of Cancer Research
View details and apply for this Postdoctoral Training Fellow - In Silico Medicinal Chemistry vacancy in Sutton.
Salary: Dependent on relevant Postdoctoral experience.
Thi...
jobs.icr.ac.uk
August 30, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Come and work with @andreascarpino.bsky.social and develop your in silico chemistry skills working on @icr.ac.uk cancer drug discovery projects. Learn stuff, discover new cancer medicines, what’s not to like :-)
This came up when we updated our risk assessments too - take note, TMS-diazomethane is less likely to kill you spectacularly but more likely to kill you in a boring way…
Wikipedia article for TMS diazomethane says it’s safer than diazomethane - when I did the risk assessment we estimated that it was at least 3-4 orders of magnitude more toxic than diazomethane, toxic by all routes of administration and probably permeates nitrile gloves #ChemSky
two men in yellow coveralls are standing next to each other with the words let 's cook written on the bottom
Alt: two men in yellow coveralls are standing next to each other with the words let 's cook written on the bottom
media.tenor.com
August 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
This came up when we updated our risk assessments too - take note, TMS-diazomethane is less likely to kill you spectacularly but more likely to kill you in a boring way…
Using copilot to reformat NMRs and check count the number of hydrogens. It’s like dealing with a lazy teenager. After the first few it starts cutting corners and not counting properly and I have to give it a telling off. Why has copilot been programmed to be like a shoddy coworker? #chemsky
August 19, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Using copilot to reformat NMRs and check count the number of hydrogens. It’s like dealing with a lazy teenager. After the first few it starts cutting corners and not counting properly and I have to give it a telling off. Why has copilot been programmed to be like a shoddy coworker? #chemsky
Reposted by Ben Bellenie
Opportunity for laboratory-based medicinal chemist at Astex Pharmaceuticals (Cambridge UK) ref: MC/0825 | closing: 30-Sep-2025 #MedChem #SynChem #UKChemJobs #ChemJobs #chemsky 🧪
www.cloudonlinerecruitment.co.uk/Astex/Vacanc...
www.cloudonlinerecruitment.co.uk/Astex/Vacanc...
Astex Careers
Astex Careers
Astex Pharmaceuticals is a world leader in innovative drug discovery and development. The company has successfully applied its proprietary Fragment-Based Drug Discovery (FBDD) platform to generate multiple new drug candidates that are progressing in clinical development. Successful collaborations have led to three launched oncology drugs (Kisqali® partnered with Novartis, Balversa® partnered with Janssen and Truqap™ partnered with AstraZeneca). We have several opportunities for talented scientists who are committed to developing treatments for patients with Cancer and Neurological Disorders.
www.cloudonlinerecruitment.co.uk
August 19, 2025 at 6:50 AM
Opportunity for laboratory-based medicinal chemist at Astex Pharmaceuticals (Cambridge UK) ref: MC/0825 | closing: 30-Sep-2025 #MedChem #SynChem #UKChemJobs #ChemJobs #chemsky 🧪
www.cloudonlinerecruitment.co.uk/Astex/Vacanc...
www.cloudonlinerecruitment.co.uk/Astex/Vacanc...
Reposted by Ben Bellenie
#ChemSky - any experience with different models / brands of centrifugal evaporator (Labconco, Genevac, Speedvac, others…) ? We’re doing more plate and vial based parallel chem and evaporation is often the bottleneck. I last used a Genevac in about 2013 so I am out of date…other suggestions welcome!
August 6, 2025 at 6:59 AM
#ChemSky - any experience with different models / brands of centrifugal evaporator (Labconco, Genevac, Speedvac, others…) ? We’re doing more plate and vial based parallel chem and evaporation is often the bottleneck. I last used a Genevac in about 2013 so I am out of date…other suggestions welcome!
#ChemSky - any experience with different models / brands of centrifugal evaporator (Labconco, Genevac, Speedvac, others…) ? We’re doing more plate and vial based parallel chem and evaporation is often the bottleneck. I last used a Genevac in about 2013 so I am out of date…other suggestions welcome!
August 6, 2025 at 6:59 AM
#ChemSky - any experience with different models / brands of centrifugal evaporator (Labconco, Genevac, Speedvac, others…) ? We’re doing more plate and vial based parallel chem and evaporation is often the bottleneck. I last used a Genevac in about 2013 so I am out of date…other suggestions welcome!
Reposted by Ben Bellenie
Thrilled to share our new paper describing the development and characterization of CDK11 inhibitors for cancer therapy. We also establish a new system that I think represents a huge leap forward in our ability to understand drug toxicity in a living organism.
August 4, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Thrilled to share our new paper describing the development and characterization of CDK11 inhibitors for cancer therapy. We also establish a new system that I think represents a huge leap forward in our ability to understand drug toxicity in a living organism.
Enjoyed examining a transfer viva today @icr.ac.uk - I say examining, but was more like just going to a very good scientific talk and having a round table discussion afterwards. Our PhD students are amazing!
July 17, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Enjoyed examining a transfer viva today @icr.ac.uk - I say examining, but was more like just going to a very good scientific talk and having a round table discussion afterwards. Our PhD students are amazing!
@adamcsharp.bsky.social one for you!
I was explaining to my Ukrainian colleague the phrase ‘There’s no such thing as a free lunch’. She told me the equivalent in Ukrainian is ‘The only free cheese is in the mousetrap’ - which is so much better
July 16, 2025 at 10:47 AM
@adamcsharp.bsky.social one for you!
Hi, medicinal chemist here. We don’t need any more pointless elements down there, can we have some new ones at the top to play with please? How about a new row between CNOF (our favourites) and SiPSCl (sometimes useful but meh) Thanks in advance #chemsky
The periodic table looks complete, but it isn’t. The race is on to discover the table’s next row of elements, starting with elements 119 and 120. cen.acs.org/physical-che... #chemsky 🧪
Why Japan is winning the race to discover the next element
After a breakdown in US-Russia relations, Riken finds itself ahead of its rivals. And Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory chases element 120
cen.acs.org
June 22, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Hi, medicinal chemist here. We don’t need any more pointless elements down there, can we have some new ones at the top to play with please? How about a new row between CNOF (our favourites) and SiPSCl (sometimes useful but meh) Thanks in advance #chemsky