Pinned
This year Demis Hassabis predicted AI could cure all disease in a decade.
But other scientists like Claus Wilke & Derek Lowe say biology is far more complex, or progress will be limited by clinical trials & economics.
In a new 4hr podcast episode of *Hard Drugs*, we answer: Will AI solve medicine?
But other scientists like Claus Wilke & Derek Lowe say biology is far more complex, or progress will be limited by clinical trials & economics.
In a new 4hr podcast episode of *Hard Drugs*, we answer: Will AI solve medicine?
Will AI solve medicine?
spotify.link
Will AI solve medicine?
We decided to be as definitive as is possible in 2025. That meant going long, through the drug development process
Sections
1. Clashing worldviews
2. Drug discovery
3. Models
4. Efficacy
5. Safety
6. Manufacturing & healthcare
7. Funding
8. Trust & ambition
Hope you enjoy!
We decided to be as definitive as is possible in 2025. That meant going long, through the drug development process
Sections
1. Clashing worldviews
2. Drug discovery
3. Models
4. Efficacy
5. Safety
6. Manufacturing & healthcare
7. Funding
8. Trust & ambition
Hope you enjoy!
Reposted
MFW my co-host @jacobtref.bsky.social is telling me all about the drug development pipeline.
October 29, 2025 at 4:24 PM
MFW my co-host @jacobtref.bsky.social is telling me all about the drug development pipeline.
Reposted
Welp @scientificdiscovery.dev and Jacob are back again, Will AI Cure Disease? By the end of the 4.5 hours you'll be significantly older and might find out!
www.worksinprogress.news/p/will-ai-so...?
www.worksinprogress.news/p/will-ai-so...?
Will AI solve medicine?
Some say AI will solve medicine within a decade. Others believe biology is far more complex than people imagine and AI will hit the limits of clinical trials and economics. Who's right?
www.worksinprogress.news
October 29, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Welp @scientificdiscovery.dev and Jacob are back again, Will AI Cure Disease? By the end of the 4.5 hours you'll be significantly older and might find out!
www.worksinprogress.news/p/will-ai-so...?
www.worksinprogress.news/p/will-ai-so...?
Will AI solve medicine?
We decided to be as definitive as is possible in 2025. That meant going long, through the drug development process
Sections
1. Clashing worldviews
2. Drug discovery
3. Models
4. Efficacy
5. Safety
6. Manufacturing & healthcare
7. Funding
8. Trust & ambition
Hope you enjoy!
We decided to be as definitive as is possible in 2025. That meant going long, through the drug development process
Sections
1. Clashing worldviews
2. Drug discovery
3. Models
4. Efficacy
5. Safety
6. Manufacturing & healthcare
7. Funding
8. Trust & ambition
Hope you enjoy!
This year Demis Hassabis predicted AI could cure all disease in a decade.
But other scientists like Claus Wilke & Derek Lowe say biology is far more complex, or progress will be limited by clinical trials & economics.
In a new 4hr podcast episode of *Hard Drugs*, we answer: Will AI solve medicine?
But other scientists like Claus Wilke & Derek Lowe say biology is far more complex, or progress will be limited by clinical trials & economics.
In a new 4hr podcast episode of *Hard Drugs*, we answer: Will AI solve medicine?
Will AI solve medicine?
spotify.link
October 29, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Will AI solve medicine?
We decided to be as definitive as is possible in 2025. That meant going long, through the drug development process
Sections
1. Clashing worldviews
2. Drug discovery
3. Models
4. Efficacy
5. Safety
6. Manufacturing & healthcare
7. Funding
8. Trust & ambition
Hope you enjoy!
We decided to be as definitive as is possible in 2025. That meant going long, through the drug development process
Sections
1. Clashing worldviews
2. Drug discovery
3. Models
4. Efficacy
5. Safety
6. Manufacturing & healthcare
7. Funding
8. Trust & ambition
Hope you enjoy!
Reposted
Apparently some people think I'm AI generated, because... I don't blink enough
October 19, 2025 at 7:21 AM
Apparently some people think I'm AI generated, because... I don't blink enough
Reposted
Tune in to find out:
- how to go from hallucinated cat pictures to hallucinated proteins
- whether @jacobtref.bsky.social can do photosynthesis
- whether we can make tiny protein straws for tardigrades to drink from
- how to go from hallucinated cat pictures to hallucinated proteins
- whether @jacobtref.bsky.social can do photosynthesis
- whether we can make tiny protein straws for tardigrades to drink from
New episode of Hard Drugs!
What if you could design a protein never seen in nature?
Scientists are using new AI tools like RFDiffusion, AlphaFold & ProteinMPNN to hallucinate novel proteins to solve problems nature hasn't.
@jacobtref.bsky.social & I talk about the art of protein design 🧑🎨
What if you could design a protein never seen in nature?
Scientists are using new AI tools like RFDiffusion, AlphaFold & ProteinMPNN to hallucinate novel proteins to solve problems nature hasn't.
@jacobtref.bsky.social & I talk about the art of protein design 🧑🎨
The art of protein design with AI
YouTube video by Works in Progress
www.youtube.com
October 17, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Tune in to find out:
- how to go from hallucinated cat pictures to hallucinated proteins
- whether @jacobtref.bsky.social can do photosynthesis
- whether we can make tiny protein straws for tardigrades to drink from
- how to go from hallucinated cat pictures to hallucinated proteins
- whether @jacobtref.bsky.social can do photosynthesis
- whether we can make tiny protein straws for tardigrades to drink from
Our most practical episode yet for people who want to dabble in biotech
As of 2022, you can hallucinate protein structures using AI similar to Midjourney (RFDiffusion) -> create amino acid strings for them (ProteinMPNN) -> validate with AlphaFold
Biology becomes engineering…
As of 2022, you can hallucinate protein structures using AI similar to Midjourney (RFDiffusion) -> create amino acid strings for them (ProteinMPNN) -> validate with AlphaFold
Biology becomes engineering…
New episode of Hard Drugs!
What if you could design a protein never seen in nature?
Scientists are using new AI tools like RFDiffusion, AlphaFold & ProteinMPNN to hallucinate novel proteins to solve problems nature hasn't.
@jacobtref.bsky.social & I talk about the art of protein design 🧑🎨
What if you could design a protein never seen in nature?
Scientists are using new AI tools like RFDiffusion, AlphaFold & ProteinMPNN to hallucinate novel proteins to solve problems nature hasn't.
@jacobtref.bsky.social & I talk about the art of protein design 🧑🎨
The art of protein design with AI
YouTube video by Works in Progress
www.youtube.com
October 15, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Our most practical episode yet for people who want to dabble in biotech
As of 2022, you can hallucinate protein structures using AI similar to Midjourney (RFDiffusion) -> create amino acid strings for them (ProteinMPNN) -> validate with AlphaFold
Biology becomes engineering…
As of 2022, you can hallucinate protein structures using AI similar to Midjourney (RFDiffusion) -> create amino acid strings for them (ProteinMPNN) -> validate with AlphaFold
Biology becomes engineering…
Reposted
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!
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!
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.
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
October 2, 2025 at 6:28 AM
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!
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!
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!
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!
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.
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
October 1, 2025 at 5:34 PM
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!
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!
Reposted
every time i feel bad about writing long essays / blog posts i think, no. what would saloni and jacob do.
September 28, 2025 at 9:40 AM
every time i feel bad about writing long essays / blog posts i think, no. what would saloni and jacob do.
Reposted
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
"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
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!
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
September 17, 2025 at 5:01 PM
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
"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
Reposted
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.
September 16, 2025 at 7:42 PM
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.
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...
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...
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!
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
September 16, 2025 at 6:19 PM
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...
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...
Reposted
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 🚂
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.
“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
September 4, 2025 at 4:35 AM
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 🚂
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!
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!
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.
“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
September 3, 2025 at 6:23 PM
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!
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!
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?
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
August 5, 2025 at 8:47 PM
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?
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-...
Reposted
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
July 9, 2025 at 9:16 PM
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...
Reposted
Periodic reminder of this article by @jacobtref.bsky.social: blog.jacobtrefethen.com/10-technolog...
July 7, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Periodic reminder of this article by @jacobtref.bsky.social: blog.jacobtrefethen.com/10-technolog...
Reposted
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 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
July 1, 2025 at 6:52 AM
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 second article in our series on Tuberculosis: ourworldindata.org/the-end-of-t...
Reposted
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.
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.
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.
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...
www.statnews.com/2025/06/23/f...
June 26, 2025 at 5:52 AM
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.
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.
Reposted
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.
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...
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
June 25, 2025 at 9:57 PM
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.
Reposted
Great article on the origins of lenacapavir, the amazingly effective HIV prevention drug approved by the FDA last week:
bsky.app/profile/sta...
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
June 25, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Great article on the origins of lenacapavir, the amazingly effective HIV prevention drug approved by the FDA last week:
bsky.app/profile/sta...
bsky.app/profile/sta...
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...
open.spotify.com/show/7CgKi9l...
June 24, 2025 at 7:50 PM
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...
open.spotify.com/show/7CgKi9l...
Reposted
Listen to Saloni’s podcast if you want a 5hr drug discovery overview so good it made me cry at multiple points
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.
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
June 24, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Listen to Saloni’s podcast if you want a 5hr drug discovery overview so good it made me cry at multiple points
Reposted
U.S. FDA approves #lenacapavir (to be sold as Yeztugo), a twice-a-year shot hailed as the closest thing the field has ever had to a #HIV vaccine, by @jasonmast.bsky.social, Ed Silverman www.statnews.com/2025/06/18/f... via @statnews.com #AIDS
HIV protection with just two shots a year: FDA approves Gilead drug
A new twice-yearly shot could be a "game changer" in the fight against AIDS, but experts' hopes have dimmed because of the current political climate.
www.statnews.com
June 18, 2025 at 6:44 PM
U.S. FDA approves #lenacapavir (to be sold as Yeztugo), a twice-a-year shot hailed as the closest thing the field has ever had to a #HIV vaccine, by @jasonmast.bsky.social, Ed Silverman www.statnews.com/2025/06/18/f... via @statnews.com #AIDS
Reposted
A bit of positive news today. FDA has just approved Lenacapavir for PrEP in the US. In clinical trials one injection every 6 months was close to 100% effective in preventing HIV transmission.
PrEP is for everyone who needs it.
www.usatoday.com/story/news/h...
PrEP is for everyone who needs it.
www.usatoday.com/story/news/h...
FDA approves new twice-yearly HIV shot. What to know
The FDA approved Gilead's HIV prevention drug lenacapavir, a twice-a-year injectable medication that clinical trials show prevents new infections.
www.usatoday.com
June 18, 2025 at 7:01 PM
A bit of positive news today. FDA has just approved Lenacapavir for PrEP in the US. In clinical trials one injection every 6 months was close to 100% effective in preventing HIV transmission.
PrEP is for everyone who needs it.
www.usatoday.com/story/news/h...
PrEP is for everyone who needs it.
www.usatoday.com/story/news/h...