Entrepreneurship and The Promise of De Novo Protein Design: A Conversation with Chris Bahl |
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In this episode, we speak with Chris Bahl, the founder of AI Proteins and the inventor of de novo design for synthetic miniproteins. (In layman’s terms, the design of miniproteins from scratch.)
Chris tells us why, after years of academic success, he left the world of academia to form a biotechnology company focused on the creation of synthetic proteins. From his perspective, the primary purpose of academic research in protein design is to learn new ways to fight disease, while the mission of biotechnology is to cure disease itself. Chris wants to devote his career to finding tangible cures. His is a fascinating segment for any entrepreneur because we discuss the fundamental difference between entrepreneurship and research, as well as the specific benefits that only an entrepreneurial approach can achieve. Chris calls himself a “protein evangelist,” and whether you know anything about synthetic proteins or not, you’ll find the vision of what they can achieve both astonishing and inspiring. In Chris’s own words: “Follow your own dreams, and do it well.” About our guest: Chris Bahl’s LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cdbahl/ Chris Stahl is the founder and Chief Scientific Officer of AI Proteins, an Andover, Massachusetts-based company focused on ways to harness the power of synthetically designed proteins to cure diseases. The former head of protein design at the Institute for Protein Innovation, Chris is also a lecturer at both the Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital, as well as a TED Fellow. His areas of expertise include computational protein design, structural biology, biochemistry, and in particular, he is credited for inventing the de novo design of synthetic miniproteins. He holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. About the podcast: The NBN Entrepreneurship and Leadership podcast aims to educate and entertain by sharing insights based on the personal story of our guests. All interviews are conducted in a casual and informal atmosphere as if at a bar or over a cup of coffee. Find links to past episodes here: https://newbooksnetwork.com/category/special-series/entrepreneurship-and-leadership About NBN: The New Books Network (https://newbooksnetwork.com/about-the-nbn) was founded in 2007 as a podcast for interviewing authors of academic books, and has since grown to become the largest author interview podcast in the world. Today, NBN publishes 12 podcasts a day in more than 90 specialty areas, and has over a million downloads a month. In recent years, the network has expanded beyond its author-oriented focus to include guests who have made notable accomplishments in their respective fields. Read about the founder Marshall Poe and the NBN here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Poe#New_Books_Network Follow our channels on: https://www.facebook.com/NBN-Entrepreneurship-and-Leadership-Podcast-107958404674973 https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/nbn-entrepreneurship-and-leadership-podcast https://twitter.com/nbn_leadership |
