#127 - No More Worms, AI for Small Molecule Development, and Moon Caves!
#127 - No More Worms, AI for Small Molecule Development, and Moon Caves!
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In the News
🪱 This is anti-news, but there have been no reports of guinea worm so far this year. The intestinal parasite used to cause extraordinary suffering, and now it’s on its way towards becoming the third disease humans have ever eradicated.
👩🏼🎓 The Biden administration announced another $1.2B of student loan forgiveness.
🤰🏽 Ultrasound technicians abroad are letting AI-assisted sonograms lessen their extensive caseloads.
🌍 According to the Carbon Monitor, it’s quite possible that our emissions have peaked, given that CO2 emissions were lower this year compared to the same time last year. This could be a fluke, but the fact that it’s even plausible is encouraging.
🌘 Italians astronomers have found caves on the moon - we didn’t know those existed.
Opportunities
The Aspen Institute is a tech policy think tank in DC and they’re looking for a fellow. “The Aspen Institute Program on Philanthropy and Social Innovation (PSI) in Washington, DC offers the William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fellowship to one student three times annually. The fellowship, which is based on academic excellence and need, is open to both undergraduate and graduate students. The Hearst Fellow serves as an intern with PSI either remotely or in the Washington, DC office of the Aspen Institute. Through this fellowship, PSI seeks to introduce a diverse group of students to issues and challenges affecting philanthropy, social enterprise, nonprofit organizations, and other actors in the social sector. Recipients may arrange with their colleges or universities to receive academic credit for this experience.”
“The Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science is a multidisciplinary centre for policy-relevant research and training on climate change and the environment.” They are currently a junior analyst as a research assistant (UK-based only).
Gordian Biotechnology is looking for an apprentice to join them. “Our year long apprenticeship offers a holistic experience in early-stage biotech, enabling you to refine practical laboratory skills while undertaking substantive, hands-on projects that will significantly expand your knowledge base. You'll play a pivotal role in assisting Gordian in identifying optimal therapeutic targets for new drug development. This opportunity grants you the chance to be at the forefront of rapid innovation, providing you with an insider's perspective into the dynamic landscape of a rapidly growing startup. As we progress further along the drug development pipeline, you’ll be actively involved in utilizing our platform to forecast preclinical and clinical physiological responses through our proprietary in vivo Mosaic screens.”
The Development Innovation Ventures program of the USAID is super neat and you should check it out. “DIV provides grant funding based on a tiered-evidence approach that maximizes impact per dollar spent. DIV's model allows for risk at early stages and mitigates risk at later stages, ensuring that funding is targeted to the most impactful and cost-effective innovations. DIV believes that the best ideas can come from anyone, anywhere. DIV supports innovators and researchers around the world to test new ideas, take strategic risks, build evidence of what works, and advance the best solutions. DIV looks for solutions that demonstrate rigorous evidence of impact, cost-effectiveness, and a viable pathway to scale and sustainability.” If you or someone you know is working in this space, definitely apply.
What We’re Watching
We’re big fans of Marlena Wisniak at the European Center for Not-for-Profit Law, and her recent piece about the real and present harms of AI systems is stirring.
The brain on shrooms is a weird and wondrous place, scientifically speaking of course.
Gig workers in India continue to rage against the algorithm.
Powerful new LLM for for small molecule optimization.
Quotes We Love
“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”
- Rumi
That’s all for now! See you in your inbox in another two weeks! ❤️