Science Metaverse Podcast

EP 53: Why One Biochemist Never Looked Back After XR, + What’s New in V2.2

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 19:00:00 -0400

After a bit of a hiatus, the Science Metaverse podcast returns with a deep dive into Nanome v2.2, our most significant release yet, and the story of Dr Joe Laureanti, a former bench scientist whose postdoc nearly collapsed until VR turned things around. From distance measurements to real-time molecular collaboration, hear how v2.2 is transforming structural biology and drug discovery.

Listen to previous episodes here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1947666

Nanome is the ultimate interface for scientific discovery, starting with molecular data. Top R&D labs conduct cutting-edge research and make billion-dollar decisions in Nanome. But, Nanome isn’t just for experts, it’s also used by students and amateur scientists studying chemistry and biology. Anyone can build 3D molecules or simulate an entire protein made of hundreds of atoms, all in one collaborative environment. Transform the way you learn, design, and communicate molecular structures with Nanome. Available on the new Meta Quest Pro.

EP 52: Big Screen’s new headset, PSVR2 reviews, foveated rendering pipeline from meta, and BioDAO IP-NFTs

Sun, 19 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Bigscreen Beyond: 127 Gram Visor, 2.6K Per Eye OLED VR Headset With SteamVR Tracking

https://uploadvr.com/bigscreen-beyond-weight-specs/

Save GPU with Eye Tracked Foveated Rendering

https://developer.oculus.com/blog/save-gpu-with-eye-tracked-foveated-rendering/

PSVR 2 review: love on a leash

https://www.theverge.com/23601368/sony-playstation-ps-vr2-review-virtual-reality

HairDAO becomes second BioDAO to mint an IP-NFT.

https://twitter.com/HairDAO_/status/1626282930094895107

Apple Delays Debut of AR/VR Headset Until June

https://www.macrumors.com/2023/02/15/apple-ar-vr-headset-launch-june/

Massively Improved Multi-node NVIDIA GPU Scalability with GROMACS

https://developer.nvidia.com/blog/massively-improved-multi-node-nvidia-gpu-scalability-with-gromacs/

EP 51: RIP LocalBitcoins, Silvergte getting shorted, and Meta Adds Direct Touch in v50

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 23:00:00 -0500

Meta Adds Direct Touch Menu Panels To Quest In v50 PTC Update

https://uploadvr.com/meta-direct-touch-menu-quest-ptc/

LocalBitcoins closes down P2P crypto exchange service

https://cointelegraph.com/news/localbitcoins-closes-down-the-p2p-crypto-exchange-service

Crypto bank Silvergate ranks as the second most-shorted stock on Wall Street

https://cointelegraph.com/news/crypto-bank-silvergate-ranks-as-the-second-most-shorted-stock-on-wall-street

EP 50: Sales Force AI for Biology, VitaDAO and PrismVR Raises, and RIP Echo VR + HP Riverb

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 23:00:00 -0500

Large language models generate functional protein sequences across diverse families

https://twitter.com/jermdemo/status/1619214824185147392?s=46&t=BnRBgAZ-NwFelhA49dKknw

Pfizer Invests $4.1 Million In Decentralized Science Organization VitaDAO Fundraising Round

https://thedalesreport.com/trends/pfizer-invests-4-1-million-in-decentralized-science-organization-vitadao-fundraising-round/

Prisms VR raises $12.5M to improve math literacy with virtual reality

https://venturebeat.com/games/prisms-vr-raises-12-5m-to-improve-math-literacy-with-virtual-reality/

Meta is inexplicably shutting down one of the best Oculus games

https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/31/23580356/meta-shut-down-echo-vr-oculus-quest-arena-ready-at-down

Rumor: HP will finish VR related production by the end of the year

https://twitter.com/SadlyItsBradley/status/1620729001152237569?s=20&t=4LKuZnzOtX9tXp4LfGoETQ

EP 49: Quest Pro Price Drop, RIP Hololense, AltSpace, PSVR2 pre orders begin, and more

Sun, 29 Jan 2023 23:00:00 -0500

https://uploadvr.com/microsoft-kills-altspace/

https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/microsoft-has-laid-off-entire-teams-behind-virtual-mixed-reality-and-hololens

https://www.roadtovr.com/report-apple-mixed-reality-headset-specs/

https://www.playstation.com/en-us/ps-vr2/

https://uploadvr.com/meta-quest-pro-price-drop/

https://jcheminf.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13321-022-00664-x

EP 48: JPM Recap, no more mice trial requirements, generative ai proteins, GPCR, and more

Sun, 15 Jan 2023 21:00:00 -0500

Special thanks to Wuxi AppTec SynBioBeta, LatchBio, and Vial for their JPM events!

EP 47: Vive XR Elite, more Sunglass form factor devices, Bio Manufacturing $200M raise, and a Celcius update

Sun, 08 Jan 2023 23:00:00 -0500

HTC Unveils Vive XR Elite, a Quest Pro Competitor Priced at $1,100

https://www.roadtovr.com/htc-vive-xr-elite-price-release-quest-pro-competitor-1100/

Ultra-Compact Shiftall MeganeX PC VR Headset Ships This Year For $1700

https://uploadvr.com/shiftalls-meganex-price-shipping/

Windows MR Usage Grows On Steam Following Deep HP Reverb G2 Discounts

https://uploadvr.com/windows-mr-grows-reverb-g2-sales/

CES 2023: Razer Reveals Quest 2 Head Strap & Facial Interface

https://uploadvr.com/razer-meta-quest-2-vr-accessories/

Drug Manufacturing Has One Huge Flaw. This Synthetic Biology Startup Just Raised $200 Million To Fix It.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/johncumbers/2023/01/05/drug-manufacture-has-one-huge-flaw-this-synthetic-biology-startup-just-raised-200m-to-fix-it/?sh=635c8caf89ed

Bankruptcy judge rules that Earn account assets belong to Celsius

https://www.axios.com/2023/01/04/celsius-bankruptcy-earn-accounts

EP 46: Top Science Metaverse stories of 2022, Predictions for 2023

Sat, 31 Dec 2022 15:00:00 -0500

In this episode, we recap the Top Science Metaverse stories of 2022, and make bold predictions for what's to come for the science Metaverse in 2023

EP 45: Collaborative Drug Design in XR hosted by Nanome

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 15:00:00 -0500

Tune in to see Application Scientists from Nanome discuss how drug design and discovery can be improved across teams using XR. From pocket characterization to docking, and more, teams from all over the world can still come together in the space through the power of XR tools

Keita Funakawa
COO
Nanome

Keita Funakawa is Nanome's COO. Keita’s passion lies at the intersection of emerging technologies, digital arts, and science. He graduated from UC San Diego with a B.S. in Management Science (Quantitative Economics) and a minor in Visual Arts Digital Media. He co-founded Nanome in 2015 and now leads company operations.

Mike Bishop
Drug Discovery Consultant
Nanome

Mike Bishop started Bishop Drug Discovery Consulting in 2019 after 26 years as a medicinal chemist with GSK. From 2001 to 2014 he directed a department of medicinal chemists and DMPK scientists with a focus on metabolic diseases, identifying ~10 clinical development candidates. From 2014 to 2019, Mike served as a Director in GSK’s Discovery Partnerships with Academia (DPAc) unit, with responsibilities for thorough vetting of research opportunities across multiple therapeutic areas, building collaborative workplans and leading joint research programs with academic investigators. Mike earned a B.A. in chemistry from Rice University in Houston, TX, worked in the petrochemical industry with Amoco Chemical in Texas City, TX for two years, and then returned to Rice, earning a Ph.D. in organic chemistry under the guidance of Dr. Marco Ciufolini.

Jonathon Gast
Senior Application Scientist
Nanome

Jonathon Gast has a background in pharmacology, informatics, and medicinal chemistry. He completed his Ph.D. in molecular pharmacology at Purdue University with a focus on the creation of informatic approaches for the determination of mechanisms of action of synthetic lethal combinations. As an applications scientist at Nanome, he communicates with customers to understand their research objectives to create novel solutions through Nanome. This includes the creation of customized software, on-site training, or online demonstrations.

EP 44: Using Chatbots for protein sequences, Meta's v47 update, and DeSci the Future of Crypto after the FTX Fiasco?

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 23:00:00 -0500

How AI That Powers Chatbots and Search Queries Could Discover New Drugs

https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-ai-that-powers-chatbots-and-search-queries-could-discover-new-drugs-11670428795

What to Know About Meta Quest’s v47 Software Update

https://about.fb.com/news/2022/12/quest-v47-software-update/

Data Lake: DeSci the Future of Crypto after the FTX Fiasco?

https://news.bitcoin.com/desci-the-future-of-crypto-after-the-ftx-fiasco/

EP 43: Chat GPT's take on the science metaverse, sony brings full body tracking, and Meta's avatars now have custom cloths

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 18:00:00 -0500

Chat GPT

https://techcrunch.com/2022/12/02/openais-chatgpt-shows-why-implementation-is-key-with-generative-ai/

The idea of a "metaverse" for science is an interesting one, but it's difficult to say exactly what it would be like without knowing more about the specific goals and objectives of such a project. In general, a metaverse for science could be a virtual world where scientists and researchers from various disciplines could come together to collaborate, share ideas, and conduct experiments. This virtual world could include realistic simulations of physical phenomena, as well as virtual tools and instruments that scientists could use to explore and analyze data. It could also include virtual meeting spaces where scientists could hold discussions and presentations, as well as virtual labs where they could conduct experiments and simulations. Ultimately, the design and functionality of a metaverse for science would depend on the specific needs and goals of the scientific community.

Sony Full body tracking

https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/30/23485732/sony-mocopi-motion-capture-metaverse-vr-avatar-announcement-price

Introducing the Meta Avatars Store

https://about.fb.com/news/2022/06/introducing-the-meta-avatars-store/

EP 42: Computational Chemist Guest Host + Valve has a new patent

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 16:00:00 -0500

Simon's Twitter:
https://twitter.com/simonbennie

https://twitter.com/SadlyItsBradley/status/1594967469634256898

EP 41: Niantech & Qualcomm's new reference design AR headset, Shopify's eye tracking heatmaps, and FTX/SBF troubles

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 18:00:00 -0500

Building Real-World AR Software and Hardware with Qualcomm

https://nianticlabs.com/news/snapdragon-spaces

Shopify Eye Tracking heatmap

https://twitter.com/StrangeNative/status/1592554373519142913?t=wJ-jSQr25hvjDzkH-m-2sg&s=31

SBF/FTX
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/17/business/ftx-crypto-contagion-sbf.html

EP 40: Exploring structural data landscapes for drug discovery with Dr. Seth Harris from Genentech

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 16:00:00 -0500

In this webinar, Dr. Seth Harris, Director of Computational Structural Biology & Senior Principal Scientist at Genentech, talks about GYST, the XR-integrated system developed by Genentech to efficiently manage large structural datasets.

At Genentech, the in-house GYST platform is used to explore annotated structural datasets and rapidly get insights from large amounts of structural information.

GYST integrates Nanome in its systems and allows researchers to access information, and manipulate and visualize data in the immersive virtual reality environment. During the webinar, Dr. Harris will go over the collaboration between scientists at Genentech and the Nanome team that led to the creation of customized GYST plugins.

Highlights:
- Large-scale data extracts and annotations of structural features can accelerate drug discovery and research
- Our in-house platform GYST creates such datasets and enables their exploration by a broad range of researchers, while also provisioning information for machine-learning models
- Custom plugins enable seamless integration of Nanome as a visualization and analytical component in this system

EP 39: Meta's Alphafold competitor, PSVR 2 release date & price

Sun, 06 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0400

AlphaFold’s new rival? Meta AI predicts shape of 600 million proteins
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-03539-1

PlayStation VR2 Release Date and Price Revealed
https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-vr2-release-date-and-price-revealed

EP 38: Quest Pro Launch Week!

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 16:00:00 -0400

This week we discuss our first impressions on actually using the Quest Pro!

More information about Nanome v1.24 and Quest Pro Launch of Nanome
https://nanome.ai/blog/meta-quest-pro-and-a-new-version-of-nanome-(v1.24)

EP 37: Thermo's Decentralized Clinical Trial Network, Pico Neo 4 reviews

Sun, 23 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0400

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221005005447/en/Thermo-Fisher-Scientific-Introduces-Decentralized-Clinical-Trials-Network

https://uploadvr.com/pico-4-review-quest-2-comparison/

EP 36: Nanome launching with The new Meta Quest Pro and v1.24

Sun, 16 Oct 2022 19:00:00 -0400

https://www.oculus.com/blog/meta-quest-pro-price-release-date/
https://nanome.ai/blog/meta-quest-pro-and-a-new-version-of-nanome-(v1.24)

EP 35: New Enterprise Headsets from Lenovo, Airbridge for Quest 2, Varjo and Gamestop, and more legal clarity around crypto?

Sun, 09 Oct 2022 18:00:00 -0400

New headset from Lenevo https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220928005325/en/?fbclid=IwAR2sCIwRiVSUFbT81s_kLKpo7DeQeiIT8nwHIIyVb8YqPnhBLrtLW43GBb0

Airbridge for Quest 2

https://uploadvr.com/vr-air-bridge-quest-2-announced/

For the second year in a row, a Scripps professor got the Nobel Prize! Go Scripps (no self-reference detected here :rolling_on_the_floor_laughing:) https://twitter.com/scrippsresearch/status/1577650210838306817

Varjo offers its Aero VR headset at GameStop

https://venturebeat.com/games/varjo-offers-its-aero-vr-headset-at-gamestop/

Crypto companies can’t avoid legal liability by forming a DAO

https://qz.com/crypto-companies-can-t-avoid-legal-liability-by-forming-1849590766

EP34: Human 5HT-2A SNPs & pharmacological signaling alterations of classic psychedelics

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0400

We are joined again by Dr. Asher Brandt, Professor of Biochemistry at the Saint Joseph University, Connecticut, specializing in psychedelic pharmacology. We discuss a recently published paper about how Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, (SNPs, pronounced “snips”) might alter the pharmacological signaling of potentially therapeutic psychedelics.

SNPs are the most common type of genetic variation among people. Specifically, it’s a genomic variant at a single base position in the DNA, which can lead to a single point amino acid mutation in the subsequently synthesized protein.

In the study, the authors examined whether sequence variations in the 5-HT2A receptor gene affect the signaling of some of the most used psychedelic drugs such as LSD, mescalin, psilocybin. They examined the in vitro pharmacology of seven non-synonymous SNPs, which give rise to a variant of 5-HT2A serotonin receptors. What they found is that these non-synonymous SNPs exert statistically significant effects on not just the the efficacy but also the potency of four therapeutically relevant psychedelics.

What’s mind blowing, in our opinion, is that the in vitro pharmacological effects of the SNP drug actions at 5-HT2A receptor are both amino acid and drug specific.

References:

Schmitz et al. (2022). 5-HT2A SNPs Alter the Pharmacological Signaling of Potentially Therapeutic Psychedelics. ACS Chem. Neurosci. 2022, 13, 16, 2386–2398.

NCBI SNPs Database (dbSNP) url: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/snp/

EP33: Techtember hits XR, and what that means for Science

Sun, 25 Sep 2022 16:00:00 -0400

Pico Neo 4: https://uploadvr.com/pico-4-release-october-18-price/

PSVR2 hands on + new trailer:

https://www.theverge.com/2022/9/14/23351946/playstation-vr-psvr-2-hands-on-impressions-horizon-call-of-the-mountain-sony

Varjo raises $40M:

https://varjo.com/press-release/varjo-raises-40-million-series-d-funding-to-build-an-industrial-metaverse/?utm_campaign=Varjo%20Newsletters%202022&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=64059872&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--f74a1c5n7pwbhjvMw048ACNgbGnCcXleku688P7uQMlcZFACxZ5ez3N5aBSqZTr50vPfmDgaXdsuA8bYUCA_CLFurhQ&utm_content=64059872&utm_source=hs_email

The merge!

https://fortune.com/crypto/2022/09/21/inside-look-behind-the-scenes-ethereum-merge/

EP32: Mpro inhibitor designed using the MedChem Tool in Nanome at Oak Ridge National Labs

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

we’re joined by Dr. Andrey Kovalevsky, Senior Scientist in Structural Biology & Biochemistry at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Andrey and his team used neutrons and x-rays to map part of the internal structure of the coronavirus to create an accurate 3-D model. Specifically, the scientists mapped the main protease (Mpro), an enzyme involved in the virus replication, to which they had added a preliminary small molecule discovered using high-speed computer screening and virtual reality (VR). Using the MedChem tool in Nanome to look at the enzyme model, the scientists virtually constructed different small molecules by modifying their structures to see if any newly designed compounds could fit, or bind, to a key site on the Mpro enzyme surface. A strong enough binding could inhibit, or block, the enzyme from functioning, which is vital to stopping the virus from multiplying in patients with COVID-19.

References:

Kneller et al. (2021). Structural, Electronic, and Electrostatic Determinants for Inhibitor Binding to Subsites S1 and S2 in SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease. J. Med. Chem. 64, 8, 4991–5000.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01475

https://neutrons.ornl.gov/content/jou...

https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-rel...

https://www.rcsb.org/structure/7SI9

EP31: Vive focus 3 getting add ons, Meta Connect on 10/11, NLP for Molecular Visualization, The Merge, and exascale compute

Sun, 11 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

VIVE Focus 3 gets Facial Tracker, and Eye Tracker

https://blog.vive.com/us/vive-focus-3-gets-facial-tracker-and-eye-tracker/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=social+media&utm_campaign=vive_focus_3_gets_facial_tracker_and_eye_tracker

Meta Connect will be a virtual event starting on October 11, 2022

https://www.metaconnect.com/en-us

Parsing natural speech and writing to specific commands by using GPT3 -and it's all web!

https://youtu.be/IrOUyazOzHk

The Merge: Ethereum upgrade Bellatrix is live, what comes next?

https://www.theblock.co/post/166799/the-merge-ethereum-upgrade-bellatrix-is-live-what-comes-next

What exascale computing could mean for chemistry

https://cen.acs.org/physical-chemistry/computational-chemistry/exascale-computing-mean-chemistry/100/i31

EP30: Meta Accounts are here, PSVR expected in 2023, and Pfizer interest in Vita DAO?

Sun, 04 Sep 2022 18:00:00 -0400

Meta accounts - https://www.oculus.com/blog/getting-started-with-meta-accounts/

Sony says the PlayStation VR2 is coming in early 2023 - https://www.theverge.com/2022/8/22/23317342/sony-playstation-ps-vr2-release-date-early-2023

VDP-54.1 Expression of Interest: Pfizer Ventures https://gov.vitadao.com/t/vdp-54-1-expression-of-interest-pfizer-ventures/832

Ep 29: Discngine Labs- virtual reality for structure-based drug discovery

Sun, 28 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Discngine Labs: Virtual Reality for Structure-Based Drug Discovery

Ever wondered how Virtual Reality for Drug Design looks like in practice?

In the second session of our Discngine Labs, they host industry experts Wilian Cortopassi and Dr. Rishi Gupta from Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR) will present the “NIBR”Verse: the multidimensional space that brings together data and peers from all over the world in a single (virtual) place for effective collaborations in structure-based drug design.

The presentation will be followed by the panel discussion on the current and future opportunities of Virtual Reality for Drug Discovery. Steve McCloskey, from the leading VR software company Nanome, will chair the discussion where industry experts and early adopters will share their thoughts and experiences on the topic.

Recording with video here:
https://www.discngine.com/event/2022/06/23/discngine-labs-virtual-reality-for-collaborative-sbdd

EP28: RIP Pop1 for Quest 1, Chemical database investigates suspicious structures, and hot new plugins for hot new summer

Sun, 14 Aug 2022 11:00:00 -0400

Meta is shutting down one of its biggest VR games — but only for Quest 1 owners
https://www.theverge.com/2022/8/7/23295691/meta-quest-1-population-one-shutting-down-biggest-vr-game-virtual-reality-battle-royale

Major chemical database investigates hundreds of suspicious crystal structures
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-02100-4

New plugins from Nanome
https://blog.matryx.ai/hot-new-plugins-for-hot-new-summer-250ef97a23cb

EP27: Alphafold breaking more headlines, Alzheimer's research fraud, and Conjoined Twins saved with VR

Sun, 07 Aug 2022 21:00:00 -0400

this week’s topics

alphafold - ‘The entire protein universe’: AI predicts shape of nearly every known protein
- https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-02083-2
Two decades of Alzheimer’s research was based on deliberate fraud by 2 scientists that has cost billions of dollars and millions of lives
- https://wallstreetpro.com/2022/07/23/two-decades-of-alzheimers-research-was-based-on-deliberate-fraud-by-2-scientists-that-has-cost-billions-of-dollars-and-millions-of-lives/
3-Year-Old Conjoined Twins with Fused Brains Separated in Historic Virtual Reality Surgery
- https://people.com/health/conjoined-twins-with-fused-brains-separated-in-historic-virtual-reality-surgery/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&mibextid=GwLpAq

EP 26: Quest 2 prices go up, Ginko's acquisition fo Zymergen, and Cadence acquiring OpenEye

Sun, 31 Jul 2022 17:00:00 -0400

Quest 2 prices going up https://twitter.com/metaquestvr/status/1551975828442910720?s=21&t=AYmHwjCEWLEz5BmlblPGxQ

Acquisition is expected to accelerate the development of Ginkgo's innovative horizontal synthetic biology platform Expect integration of Zymergen's... (38 kB)

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ginkgo-to-acquire-zymergen-301592281.html

@Cadence to acquire OpenEye, combining our molecular modeling software with their leading AI/ML, cloud solutions

https://twitter.com/openeyesoftware/status/1551555197264187394?s=21&t=gXuRIl9uOVivwHyPXPeKNg

EP 25: Meta no longer requiring facebook login, Paper published using a combo of Cryto-EM & Alphafold , and crypto bear markets?

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0400

meta facebook login deprecation
- https://www.oculus.com/blog/meta-accounts/
Structure of cytoplasmic ring of nuclear pore complex by integrative cryo-EM and AlphaFold
- https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abm9326

EP 24: COVID-19 in VR: Exploring Coronavirus Molecules in VR with Dr. Kuiper (aired 2/20/20)

Sun, 17 Jul 2022 17:00:00 -0400

Dr. Michael Kuiper, a bio-molecular modeler at an Australian government research lab (Data61/CSIRO), is using Nanome & VR to analyze and help against the fight with the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Dr. Kuiper’s colleagues at CSIRO are working on a vaccine at Geelong, and also some diagnostics at VIDRL (Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory). Dr. Kuiper is generating models and analyzing molecular simulations in Nanome that could help gain insights into potential vaccines.
Relevant articles/references to info above:
https://www.csiro.au/en/News/News-releases/2020/CSIRO-scientists-start-work-on-coronavirus
https://www.goldcentralvictoria.com.au/news/current-events/100839-contained-csiro-lab-to-tackle-coronavirus
More info on the corona virus protease: http://pdb101.rcsb.org/motm/242
If you’d like to see the structures in this livestream for yourself, you can load them from within Nanome via the PDB code 6LU7. Nanome is free to download through Oculus, Steam, Sidequest, or nanome.ai/setup

EP 23: Exploring watMD with Scientists from Novartis

Sun, 10 Jul 2022 14:00:00 -0400

Nanome scientists are joined by Dr. Robert Pearlstein and Dr. Hongbin Wan, of Novartis, who share with us their recent publication on the application of biodynamics theory to characterize the structural dynamics of substrate-induced activation under non-equilibrium conditions. Biodynamics is a first principles multi-scale physics-based theory on the general mechanisms by which cellular functions are conveyed by dynamic multi-molecular/ionic systems and by which molecular and multi-molecular systems are powered by covalent and non-covalent forms of free energy (solvation free energy in the latter case). In this video, we cover the transduction of solvation free energy into dynamic molecular structure and drug-target binding exemplified by COVID Mpro inhibition.

Reference: Wan, H., Aravamuthan, V. & Pearlstein, R. A. Probing the dynamic structure-function and structure-free energy relationships of the corona virus main protease with Biodynamics theory. http://biorxiv.org/lookup/doi/10.1101... (2020) doi:10.1101/2020.07.19.211185.

EP 22: Nanome Webinar: VR to Aid Antidote Design, structure-based design to treat organophosphate poisoning

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 21:00:00 -0400

In this webinar Zoran Radić, Adjunct Professor at UC San Diego, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, shares insights into the catalytic core of Acetylcholinesterase and the new perspective on molecular analysis enabled by Virtual Reality.

Atomic details of molecular 3D structures reveal the basis for understanding the catalytic power of enzyme molecules. This is why the correct perception of macromolecular architecture is greatly facilitated by immersive visualization and molecule manipulation in VR.

When offending inhibitors compromise the optimally evolved geometry of enzymes finding out appropriate correcting tools becomes a challenge. Prof. Radić peek into the active center of one of the most powerful biological catalysts, the enzyme Acetylcholinesterase, and dissect approaches his research team uses to recover enzyme catalytic activity upon covalent modification by some of the most toxic inhibitors, such as Novichok organophosphate poisons.

Highlights:
- Understanding spatial impaction of Novichok-inhibited acetylcholinesterase is greatly facilitated by VR
- 3D structures of Acetylcholinesterase help explain its catalysis and provide a template for structure-based design while revealing an unexpected paradox
- Structure-based analysis aided by VR accelerates the creation and refinement of antidotes against acetylcholinesterase poisoning

EP 21: Leveraging VR in the Chemistry Classroom - A Discussion with Chemistry Educators

Sun, 26 Jun 2022 18:00:00 -0400

How can virtual reality be used as an effective teaching tool in chemistry education? We've invited Tina Qin, Semin Lee, Gareth Denyer, and Anna Lohning to share how they incorporated VR into their lesson plans. Our speakers cover the challenges and benefits of setting up a VR component in chemistry classes and labs. If you have questions you’d like to ask, please feel free to leave your questions in the comments section below.

MEET THE SPEAKERS

Tina Qin - Librarian for Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University
Tina Qin and her colleagues are exploring embedding their library VR facilities into science curricula. She is looking forward to sharing her work on an innovative portable virtual reality chemistry lab applied in an undergraduate organic chemistry class that enrolled over 200 students at Harvard University last spring.

Semin Lee - Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Louisiana State University
Semin Lee uses VR in his organic chemistry courses, with activities that include interactive lectures and student presentations. Some excerpts of his class sessions can be found on his YouTube channel, and he looks forward to talking about how he’s incorporated VR into his lesson plans.

Gareth Denyer - Professor of Biochemical Education, University of Sydney Australia
Gareth Denyer has been an educator for over 30 years, and when not in the classroom he looks for new and innovative ways to teach and assess students. He looks forward to discussing his use of VR for lectures and student presentations, and the interactions he observed among his students as they explored concepts in VR.

Anna Lohning - Assistant Professor in Biochemistry, Bond University
Anna Lohning has spent over 14 years in higher education, and is a published author in discipline-based educational research with a focus on the use of 3D technologies to engage students and enhance learning outcomes. She looks forward to talking about the use of VR in education, including how she’s used VR in her medicinal biochemistry class.

EP 20: Andrey Kovalevsky, PhD Designing from "inside" the COVID19 viral protein, novel chemical structure designed in VR

Sun, 19 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Designing from "inside" the COVID-19 viral protein:
A novel chemical structure designed in VR

Featuring Andrey Kovalevsky, PhD
Senior R&D Scientist, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

We go over:

Novel chemical structures for inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 replication
VR-assisted structure-activity relationships
Why Oak Ridge National Laboratory combines neutrons and VR for structure-based drug design
How VR aids collaboration between structural biologists, medicinal chemists, and molecular modelers

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrey-kovalevsky-0b1a04154/
https://www.ornl.gov/

EP 19: Jackie von Salm, PhD how VR aids GPCR drug discovery for a psychedelic biotech startup

Sun, 12 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Jackie Von Salm, PhD is the Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Officer Psilera
We cover

Why psychedelic research is so promising & what's on the horizon.
Overcoming the challenges of communicating scientific research to investors
Easy ways to improve spatial awareness of chemists and the impact that brings to the lab
How Psilera is using Nanome to filter compounds

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jvonsalm/
https://www.psilera.com/

EP 18: Woody Sherman, Chief Computational Scientist at Roivant Sciences

Sun, 05 Jun 2022 21:00:00 -0400

Woody is the Chief Computational Scientist at Roivant Discovery and former CSO at Silicon Therapeutics. He shared the Roivant Discovery vision for physics-driven drug design and the role of virtual reality to maximize insights. It was an honor to host more than 200 inspiring and engaged attendees. We’re grateful to everyone who completed the polls and submitted thoughtful questions.

https://discovery.roivant.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/woodysherman/

EP 17: AI for the Science Metaverse- how to accelerate drug discovery by using AI in VR (featuring Iktos)

Sun, 29 May 2022 22:00:00 -0400

Nanome Webinar Series | AI for the Science Metaverse: how to accelerate drug discovery by using AI in VR featuring scientists from Iktos

In this webinar Alessandro Monge, SVP, Head of US Operations & Business Development at Iktos, and Iktos Application Scientists Brian Atwood and Rohit Arora shared insights on the applications of AI in drug discovery and the impact of VR.

Iktos has developed two major technologies for use by chemists. Makya, a de novo design platform, enables users to generate new compound ideas with the support of AI. Spaya, a computer-aided synthesis planning tool, provides predicted retrosynthesis routes with a high degree of customization available so that users can find the retrosynthesis that meets their needs.

Iktos scientists discuss how these technologies can be accessed in VR and allow real-time collaboration on compound design and retrosynthesis planning.

https://iktos.ai/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alessandro-monge/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-atwood-26ab9b27/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohiarora/

EP 16: Microscape.xyz - the future of imaging research

Mon, 23 May 2022 00:00:00 -0400

https://www.microscape.xyz/

Delivering custom interactive tools, visualizations, and multi-user platforms for a wide range of 3D+ data types/formats

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-paul-francis/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kmcclary/

EP 15: Christian Calvo, current state of web3/defi & early days of NanoVR

Sun, 15 May 2022 15:00:00 -0400

Experienced Blockchain investor and professional looking to build the future of crypto finance. Over 8 years in the Blockchain ecosystem researching crypto landscapes, specifically Bitcoin and Ethereum. Focused on helping bring blockchain technologies to the world, especially the unbanked.

https://twitter.com/cdcalvo01?lang=en

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cdcalvo/

EP 14: Brandon Tyler Malady from the Goggles Off Podcast

Sun, 08 May 2022 22:00:00 -0400

Brandon is a Graduate Student Fellow in Biomedical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin

Check out his podcast here:
https://linktr.ee/gogglesOff
Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-malady-a00469133/

EP 13: Gravity Sketch raising $33M, Built with Biology Conference, The Pico Neo 3 Link, and Twitter's place in the Science Metaverse?

Sun, 01 May 2022 10:00:00 -0400

Gravity Sketch raises $33M
https://twitter.com/GravitySketch/status/1516493585834819597?s=20&t=nLGD-x5GyHLT2KVosnCM6Q

more recently, designers have been building NFT objects on Gravity Sketch.

Built with biology conference

https://www.builtwithbiology.com/

Pico Neo 3 Link Launch

https://uploadvr.com/pico-neo-3-link-vs-quest-2-specs-comparison/

What is twitter’s place in the science metaverse?

EP 12: Michael Antonov, Oculus Cofounder, Investor, Software Architect

Sun, 24 Apr 2022 17:00:00 -0400

"Software architect, investor, entrepreneur. I love collaborating with great engineers to build SDKs, runtimes and tools that empower developers, while focusing on quality and ease of use. Interests include VR and graphics, AI, programming languages, compilers and longevity/biotechnology.

Co-founder of Oculus, now a part of Facebook. Led development of Oculus PC Runtime and SDK for DK1, DK2 and Oculus Rift. Started Web VR team, including shipping of Carmel browser and React VR. Contributed to Caffe2/Pytorch as a part of Facebook AI team.

Co-founder and CTO of Scaleform, sold to Autodesk, Inc. Led development of Scaleform GFx, the leading User Interface toolkit in games. Scaleform included GPU-accelerated vector graphics and a bytecode VM to enable playback of Flash content inside of game engines on PCs, consoles and mobile devices.
Software architect, investor, entrepreneur. I love collaborating with great engineers to build SDKs, runtimes and tools that empower developers, while focusing on quality and ease of use. Interests include VR and graphics, AI, programming languages, compilers and longevity/biotechnology. Co-founder of Oculus, now a part of Facebook. Led development of Oculus PC Runtime and SDK for DK1, DK2 and Oculus Rift. Started Web VR team, including shipping of Carmel browser and React VR. Contributed to Caffe2/Pytorch as a part of Facebook AI team. Co-founder and CTO of Scaleform, sold to Autodesk, Inc. Led development of Scaleform GFx, the leading User Interface toolkit in games. Scaleform included GPU-accelerated vector graphics and a bytecode VM to enable playback of Flash content inside of game engines on PCs, consoles and mobile devices."

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelantonov/

https://twitter.com/_michaelantonov?lang=en

EP 11: Greg Horowitt Innovation Ecosystem Architect, Venture Capitalist, Serial Entrepreneur, Author, and Global Innovation Policy Adviser

Sun, 17 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0400

Greg Horowitt is an advisor to Nanome Inc., Venture Capitalist, Innovation Ecosystem Architect, author, serial entrepreneur, public speaker and adviser to international and domestic organizations and governments. He has unique expertise at the intersection of high impact startup investment + mentorship, innovation based economic development, capital formation, policy, strategy, technology transfer and commercialization. He is also the co-founder of a leading innovation think tank, and prior experience as senior executive for Fortune 500 company.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/horowitt/
https://twitter.com/ghorowitt

Episode 10: Asher Brandt Cannabinoid Researcher at University of Saskatchewan

Sun, 10 Apr 2022 20:00:00 -0400

"I'm really interested in understand how psychedelic drugs work on a molecular pharmacological level. I am developing expertise in ligand-receptor docking to understand how the 3-dimensional shape of a ligand dictates how it docks to a receptor. With this knowledge, better ligands can be designed to produce the desired effects due to an understanding of functional selectivity of 1 pathway towards another. Other than research I have an excitement for teaching and education." -Asher Brandt

https://twitter.com/brandtasher

https://www.linkedin.com/in/asher-brandt-172b2793/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPrbptPB52Yom61LXhc3yig

Episode 9: Medicinal Chemistry Guest Host, Autodesk Acquiring The Wild, Axie Infinity Hack, and the Coot 1 update

Sun, 03 Apr 2022 23:00:00 -0400

This week’s topics

Episode 8: Qualcomm’s new Metaverse fund, AR/VR headset growth, and SNAP’s BCI acquisition

Sun, 27 Mar 2022 22:00:00 -0400

Qualcomm’s new Metaverse fund, AR/VR headset growth, and SNAP’s BCI acquisition

SNAP Acquires NextMind to Drive Augmented Reality Research
- https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/snap-acquires-nextmind-to-drive-augmented-reality-research?amp
Augmented And Virtual Reality Headset Shipments Grew 92% In 2021
- https://www.alistdaily.com/technology/virtual-reality-headset-market-sees-unprecedented-growth-in-2021/amp/
Qualcomm Sets Up $100M Fund for Metaverse Investments
- https://www.coindesk.com/business/2022/03/24/qualcomm-sets-up-100m-fund-for-metaverse-investments/
1.23.2 Patch, Nanome roadmap for the rest of 2022, and Nanome 2.0
- https://blog.matryx.ai/1-23-2-patch-nanome-roadmap-for-the-rest-of-2022-and-nanome-2-0-2206c2e1a7ab

Episode 7: Molecular Keys NFT Collection, Adobe’s metaverse play, Magic Leap 2 impressions, and AI generating chemical weapons

Sun, 20 Mar 2022 14:00:00 -0400

We’re launching an NFT collection to help support scientific research in the Metaverse
- https://blog.matryx.ai/the-science-metaverse-3c6081e686be
Adobe stakes its claim in the metaverse with AR/VR tools
- https://venturebeat.com/2022/03/15/adobe-stakes-its-claim-in-the-metaverse-with-ar-vr-tools/
The Magic Leap 2 blurs the line between AR and VR — and it’s beautiful
- https://thenextweb.com/news/magic-leap-2-ar-vr-together-at-last
AI suggested 40,000 new possible chemical weapons in just six hours
- https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/17/22983197/ai-new-possible-chemical-weapons-generative-models-vx

Episode 6: Augmenting Intelligence with Ai and Biden's executive order on crypto

Sun, 13 Mar 2022 20:00:00 -0400

Episode 5: New DeSci Alliances, Apple XR Rumors, Meta AI concept, and why the Science Metaverse starts at the molecular scale

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 11:00:00 -0500

Discussion about seqster, our neighbor joins decentralized trials & research alliance (dtra) to democratize and accelerate clinical trials
- https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/seqster-joins-decentralized-trials--research-[…]o-democratize-and-accelerate-clinical-trials-301491744.html
New Partnership Between Molecule, Apollo, and VitaDAO
- https://www.lifespan.io/news/new-partnership-between-molecule-apollo-and-vitadao/
Apple Reportedly Completes Production Tests for AR/VR Headset
- https://www.macrumors.com/2022/02/21/apple-completes-ar-vr-headset-production-tests/
Meta AI Concept: Create VR Worlds By Just Describing What You Want
- https://uploadvr.com/meta-builderbot-ai-concept/
why does the scientific metaverse start at the molecular scale or need to be atomically precise?
what other industries can Nanome apply to
what other scientific metaverses are there besides atomically precise ones
how do we go from 1-100 nanometers and beyond

Episode 4: Professor Zoran Radic

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Episode 3: DeSci Landscape Q1 2022, PSVR New Images

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 01:00:00 -0500

Episode 2: Nanome Origin Story Pt2

Sun, 27 Feb 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Episode 1: (Pilot) Nanome Origin Story

Sat, 26 Feb 2022 00:00:00 -0500