Loading...

PODCAST

Under the Surface Podcast

CCG | Chemical Computing Group Podcast

Under the Surface is Chemical Computing Group"s podcast where science meets storytelling in the world of computer‑aided drug discovery. Each episode brings you inside the breakthroughs shaping modern computational chemistry — from molecular modeling and AI‑powered design to the personal journeys of the researchers driving innovation forward. Join pioneering scientists, industry leaders, and curious minds as we explore how in silico techniques accelerate discovery, transform workflows, and reveal

science chemistry

All Episodes

01:09:27

The FoF (Filet-O-Fish) Turning Point to OpenFF (Open...

Under the Surface Podcast ·

2026/09/29

Listen to the next episode of our podcast, Under the Surface. In episode 18, The FoF (Filet-O-Fish) Turning Point to OpenFF (Open Force Field), we chat with @Lily Wang, Science Lead at the Open Force Field Initiative (@OpenFF), about the unexpected, very human moment that set her on the path to computational chemistry — a cold Filet‑O‑Fish eaten at 1 a.m. after a disastrous night in the lab. Lily shares that she first wanted to study art. Still, a close friend's lupus diagnosis inspired her to

en

01:10:13

Building Collaborative Drug Discovery Tools with...

Under the Surface Podcast ·

2026/08/04

*Content Warning: This episode includes discussions of trauma, loss, and near‑death experiences. Please take care while listening, and reach out to a mental health professional or someone you trust if these topics become overwhelming.* Listen to the next episode of our podcast, Under the Surface. In episode 17, Building Collaborative Drug Discovery Tools, we feature an in-depth interview with Barry Bunin, CEO of Collaborative Drug Discovery, about his journey from chemist to entrepreneur. He shares

en

01:22:51

When Proteins Move: Woody Sherman on Computational...

Under the Surface Podcast ·

2026/06/16

Check out the next episode of our podcast, Under the Surface. In episode 16, When Proteins Move: Woody Sherman on Computational Chemistry, Molecular Simulation, and the Future of AI in Drug Discovery, we chat with Woody Sherman, Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at PsiThera, and a longtime leader in computational chemistry, about how he went from studying quantum polymers to shaping modern tools like Induced Fit Docking. Woody shares the moment that pulled him into protein simulations, his early

en

01:06:26

15. Fells' Elements of Success: A Periodic Journey

Under the Surface Podcast ·

2026/03/31

Check out the next episode of our podcast, Under the Surface! In episode 15, Fells' Elements of Success: A Periodic Journey, we immerse ourselves in the world of chemistry and career alchemy with James Fells. From his early days as a curious freshman to his role as an Associate Director, In Silico Discovery at Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, James recounts his journey through the ups and downs of the scientific realm and the importance of guidance along the way. Hear how his childhood

en

52:36

14. SVL: Santavy vs Labute - The HoliDAVE Edition

Under the Surface Podcast ·

2025/12/22

Welcome to the last episode of 2025 for our podcast, Under the Surface! In this episode, SVL: Santavy vs Labute - The HoliDAVE Edition, get cozy with this special holiday edition of "Under the Surface"! Chris Williams and Dave Thompson are here to share laughs, swap stories, and spread some cheer as they chat with CCG's always-jolly Principal Scientist, Martin Santavy. From the wild beginnings of programming to the everyday adventures of debugging, this episode takes you on a fun-filled ride through

en

01:15:50

13. Unfiltered Leadership with Erin Davis

Under the Surface Podcast ·

2025/11/18

In episode 13, Unfiltered Leadership, we dive into the fascinating journey of Erin Davis, who proves that the path to becoming a CTO at X-Chem is paved with caffeine, coding, and a touch of chaos. Erin's story is a masterclass in creativity and resilience. Tune in for tales of tech debt, DNA-encoded libraries (DELs), questioning authority, and why she believes humans are just 'meat sacks' trying to make sense of it all. This episode is a delightful mix of humor, inspiration, perfect for anyone who

en

46:14

12. Never Mind the Woman Behind the Curtain with Dr....

Under the Surface Podcast ·

2025/08/26

In episode 12, Never Mind the Woman Behind the Curtain, we welcome Dr. Sarah Witzke, Senior Application Scientist at CCG, who spills the beans on the not-so-secret life of support scientists in drug discovery. Think of it as a behind-the-scenes tour as to why you shouldn’t ignore the people behind the curtain. Sarah shares her multifaceted journey, hopping from academia to the industry, kind of like a superhero changing outfits—except her cape was probably a lab coat. She unpacks the art of

en

01:18:01

11. Crystal Clear: Unveiling the Secrets of...

Under the Surface Podcast ·

2025/06/03

In our next episode, we’re joined by Jason Cole, a Senior Research Fellow at the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Center (CCDC). He shares his fascinating journey, starting from his childhood in Italy, where his love for science blossomed, all the way to his impressive career in computational chemistry and crystallography. We chat about what CCDC does in terms of gathering and sharing crystallographic data, the ups and downs of software development in this field, and why it’s so crucial to validate

en

01:04:12

10. The Passport to Knowledge and Discovery

Under the Surface Podcast ·

2025/02/27

In our first episode of 2025, our hosts, Chris Williams and Dave Thompson, have the pleasure of speaking to Fernando Garces, CEO and co-founder of BioGlyph. Leading us from the sunny climes of Portugal through the tropical paradise that is London, on route to the West Coast of the US and A, Fernando shares his evolving love of science through the heights of academia, into industry, and now as CEO of a software company he co-founded to improve the modeling of complex multispecifics. Important

en

46:43

9. Rebecca Swett on The Power of Automation in Drug...

Under the Surface Podcast ·

2024/12/19

In our final episode of 2024, host Chris Williams and guest co-host, Under the Surface Executive Producer and CCG Vice President, Alain Deschênes have a long overdue chat with computational drug discovery rock star Rebecca Swett. Rebecca shares her journey from her academic beginnings to her current role at X-Chem, via roles at Novartis, Vertex, and Relay. Rebecca’s wide-ranging experience shines through as the conversation wends its way through cutting-edge computational chemistry covering machine

en

42:49

8. The Molecular Assassin

Under the Surface Podcast ·

2024/09/17

On episode 8 of Under the Surface, we’re joined by The Molecular Assassin, Arijit Basu. Arijit describes his journey from India to the US via a transformative sabbatical in Israel. Landing in the Langer lab at MIT and then finding his industrial legs, Arijit turns to computational toxicology as a way to ensure that drug hunters enable the concept of Safety by Design as a core tenant for how they’re navigating chemical space. He doesn’t discuss how he got his cool nickname though, so if that’s what

en

45:24

7. On Being The First [Second?]

Under the Surface Podcast ·

2024/08/22

This next episode of Under the Surface has us speaking to crystallographer Eric Larson. In episode 7, as you’ll hear, Eric’s a little nervous about having his thoughts committed to ‘perpetuity.’ But, as you’ll also hear, he does a great job. As our first second structural biologist on the show, he tells us about how he got into the field, the very real logistical challenges of working in industry, and his evocative description of what it feels like to peek ‘behind the veil’ and be the first on the

en

01:15:02

6. Revolutionizing Nanoscale Visualization

Under the Surface Podcast ·

2024/04/16

Check out the next episode of our podcast, Under the Surface! In episode 6, Revolutionizing Nanoscale Visualization, we talk to Nanome CEO and co-founder Steve McCloskey. In a virtual rollercoaster of a conversation, he shares Nanome’s scrappy beginnings, the challenge and excitement of bringing new ways of interacting with models to the science community, and paints a vivid picture of an exciting element of the future of molecular modeling. It’s Reality Jim, but not as we know it… Interested in

en

01:01:14

5. Farm to Pharma

Under the Surface Podcast ·

2024/01/09

In episode 5, Farm to Pharma, we talk to Dr. Dan McKay about his career in the pharmaceutical industry (he grew up on a Farm! See what we did there … ?). As a pioneer in the applied use of quantum mechanics, Dan describes his break into the industry from academia, his realization of the critical importance of water in understanding ‘what’s going on’, and offers some pointed observations on the applicability of artificial intelligence and machine learning in drug discovery. Throughout our time with

en

54:13

4. A CHRIStmas Carol: A Super Special HoliDAVE Edition

Under the Surface Podcast ·

2023/12/21

Welcome to the last episode of the year for our podcast, Under the Surface! In this episode, A CHRIStmas Carol, we conjure up some jovial spirits of the past as our Super Senior co-host Dave grills his colleagues on the founding, early years, and development of the Chemical Computing Group. As you’ll hear, Dave manages to make Research Group Leader, Anna Lin, and his regular co-host, Chris Williams, feel deeply uncomfortable and encourages them to step out of their inherent Canadian humility and

en

56:32

3. Instructions for a Life in Science

Under the Surface Podcast ·

2023/11/28

In episode 3, Instructions for a Life in Science, we talk to Dr. Vanita Sood about her experiences as a drug hunter. Vanita candidly shares her career journey, reflecting back on the choices she made, the opportunities and challenges she navigated, and the transformational science she drove. She describes her recent transition from a large pharma company to a startup environment and the critical considerations she’s had to deal with. Throughout we talk about AI in discovery, the science of

en

28:27

2. Fun with Pharmacophores

Under the Surface Podcast ·

2023/10/03

Check out the next episode of our podcast, Under the Surface! In episode 2, Fun with Pharmacophores, we talk to Dr. Scott Rowland about pharmacophore-based techniques and their role in understanding receptor–ligand interactions, and ultimately, how they contribute to the design of new drugs. Recently retired, following decades in the pharmaceutical industry, Scott tells us about his journey through the field and his deep appreciation for collaborative science. Scott hasn’t completely hung up his

en

28:53

1. Computers to Find Big Molecules

Under the Surface Podcast ·

2023/06/06

In episode 1 of our yet-to-win award podcast, we talk to Dr. Sandeep Kumar, Distinguished Research Fellow in Biotherapeutics at Boehringer Ingelheim about how he uses computers to help develop and deliver biopharmaceuticals and his thoughts on the increasing importance of computational methods in drug discovery. It gets controversial at times, so, you know, just a warning on that. See more: Computational Antibody Discovery: State of the Art:

en

11:19

O. Introducing Under the Surface with Chemical...

Under the Surface Podcast ·

2023/06/06

What's this all about, you ask? In today's inaugural episode of our sure-to-be award-winning podcast, we'll cover the who, what, and why we decided to create this podcast. As well as preview industry topics we'll be covering in future episodes. This is not your average science podcast - Welcome to Under the Surface. For more information on Chemical Computing Group, head to: https://www.chemcomp.com/.

en

19 results

Similar Podcasts

Beyond the Divide

Koala Moon

The SCP Experience

Dr. NoSleep Studios

John Michael Godier"s Event Horizon

John Michael Godier

La Science CQFD

France Culture

A Moment of Science

Indiana Public Media