Under the Surface 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 the human side of scientific progress.
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Fells’ Elements of Success: A Periodic Journey
03/31/2026
Fells’ Elements of Success: A Periodic Journey
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 curiosity about Gargamel inspired his success, how he moved between academia and industry, and why his story stands out. We think this episode will really connect with you. Listener discretion is advised. 02:12 The story behind the early use of MOE software in 1999 03:36 Childhood obsession with potions and how it sparks real science 07:00 Funding, scholarships, and the importance of independence 08:41 Making the leap from academia to industry: speed and culture shock 12:33 The value of humility, openness, and collaboration in pharma 16:15 Crafting winning fellowship applications and proactive networking 20:19 Transitioning from postdoc to industry: timing and strategy 24:17 How industry teams differ from academia in hierarchy and respect 37:33 The big cultural shifts moving from Merck to Johnson & Johnson 45:18 The importance of company culture, openness, and shared lessons learned 49:12 J&J’s evolving approach to science, leadership, and opportunity 57:47 Reflections: What he’d do differently, advice for future scientists 62:03 If not in science, what would James do? Coach? Math teacher? 63:53 Final thoughts: Exploring opportunities, being adaptable, and following your curiosity Subscribe & listen to all episodes of our podcast: Follow us on &
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SVL: Santavy vs Labute - The HoliDAVE Edition
12/18/2025
SVL: Santavy vs Labute - The HoliDAVE Edition
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 the world of computational chemistry. There’s plenty of laughter, a sprinkle of science magic, and a whole lot of heart as we talk about the quirks of coding and the power of good communication. Whether you’re a science fan or just love a great story, come join us—grab your favorite mug, settle in, and let’s celebrate the season together! Listener discretion is advised. 03:45 The Journey to CCG: Early Days and Influences 10:02 The Development of SVL: A New Programming Language 14:56 Challenges and Innovations in Computational Chemistry 20:55 The Evolution of CCG and Its Market Position 22:23 Reflections on Missed Opportunities 24:25 The Evolution of Software in Chemistry 26:50 Navigating the Language of Chemistry 30:54 The Importance of Communication in Science 35:32 Debugging and Problem Solving 42:45 The Joy of Software Development 50:35 Passion for Science and Software Subscribe & listen to all episodes of our podcast: Follow us on &
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Unfiltered Leadership with Erin Davis
11/13/2025
Unfiltered Leadership with Erin Davis
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 loves a good science story with a side of laughter. This episode will leave you inspired and entertained! Listener discretion is advised. Subscribe & listen to all episodes of our podcast: Follow us on &
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Never Mind the Woman Behind the Curtain with Dr. Sarah Witzke
08/19/2025
Never Mind the Woman Behind the Curtain with Dr. Sarah Witzke
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 juggling her responsibilities and her knack for customer interaction. Spoiler alert: building trust with clients is crucial, unless you want them to think you’re just some mad scientist in a basement! They explore how remote work has flipped team communication on its head. You might think it’s just a lot of Zoom calls and pajama pants, but there’s more to it. Sarah reflects on her career path, her growth, and the ups and downs with impostor syndrome along the way. And to top it all off, she dishes out some golden advice for aspiring application scientists — hint: humility and adaptability are your BFFs. So, grab a snack and settle in for a fun and insightful chat that might just inspire you to embrace your inner scientist — or perhaps become one.
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Crystal Clear: Unveiling the Secrets of Crystallography and Drug Design
06/02/2025
Crystal Clear: Unveiling the Secrets of Crystallography and Drug Design
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 docking software. Jason also highlights the importance of data standards, the philanthropic mission of CCDC, and what the future holds for drug discovery, particularly with the exciting possibilities of artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing. It’s a great conversation packed with insights!
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The Passport to Knowledge and Discovery with Fernando Garces
02/19/2025
The Passport to Knowledge and Discovery with Fernando Garces
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 questions are unpacked throughout - is London really a tropical paradise? How long can we keep milking podcast episode titles that take advantage of the homophonic property of pharma and farm? Oh, and we have another surprising guest answer to the ‘Deschênes Dilemma’… It is not to quote G. K. Chesterton, a proper nailbiter!
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Rebecca Swett on The Power of Automation in Drug Development
12/17/2024
Rebecca Swett on The Power of Automation in Drug Development
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 learning, molecular dynamics, and DNA-encoded libraries. At the scale Rebecca works at, automation is key, so this topic comes up too. We’re not going to lie; it’s a lot. And, of course, there’s more … Rebecca highlights the significance of allyship and representation for women in science, and the role of community (with a shout-out to the long-running BAGIM modeling forum). Also, in the inaugural asking of the ‘Deschênes Dilemma,’ we find out what Rebecca would be doing if she wasn’t doing all of the above …
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The Molecular Assassin Dr. Arijit Basu
09/16/2024
The Molecular Assassin Dr. Arijit Basu
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 you’re after, you will be out of luck. This episode was recorded live in Montreal at our 2024 UGM.
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On Being The First [Second?] with Eric Larson
08/01/2024
On Being The First [Second?] with Eric Larson
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 planet to observe the structure of a previously unknown protein. It’s a magical episode This episode was recorded live in Montreal at our 2024 UGM.
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Revolutionizing Nanoscale Visualization
04/10/2024
Revolutionizing Nanoscale Visualization
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 giving this a test drive? Contact to set up a demo with Nanome.
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Farm to Pharma with Dr. Dan McKay
11/22/2023
Farm to Pharma with Dr. Dan McKay
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 him, Dan’s stories paint a vivid and exciting picture of what it means to support a modern discovery effort. Also, in a first for Under the Surface, we ask something of you, our audience. Can you help us, help Dan?
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A CHRIStmas Carol: A Super Special HoliDAVE Edition
12/15/2023
A CHRIStmas Carol: A Super Special HoliDAVE Edition
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 embrace the fact that they contributed to the building of a thing that is still going strong - 30 years on! Reminiscences are shared, the field is reflected upon, and famous Canadians are listed. It is, dear listener, a roller coaster of an emotional ride.
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Instructions for a Life in Science with Dr. Vanita Sood
11/22/2023
Instructions for a Life in Science with Dr. Vanita Sood
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 serendipity, and Mary Oliver the naturist and poet. Vanita expounds the spirit of paying attention, being astonished, and sharing this enthusiasm with others.. Strap in folks. Takeaways: Dr. Vanita Sood has 15 years of experience in drug discovery. AI in drug discovery has shifted from skepticism to enthusiasm. Switching fields can provide new perspectives and opportunities. Drug discovery requires teamwork and collaboration. Building connections in academia can lead to industry opportunities. The patient-centric approach drives drug discovery priorities. Data generation for AI needs to be consistent and relevant. Human insight is essential for interpreting complex biological data. Exploring new chemical spaces is crucial for innovation. Serendipity can lead to unexpected breakthroughs in research. Relying on machine learning for drug discovery raises concerns about data complexity. The best drug discoveries often come from unexpected patterns in data. Documentation in pharma is generally better than in academia, but still has gaps. Machine learning models need interpretability to ensure reliability and understanding. Transitioning from a large pharma environment to a startup presents unique learning opportunities. Collaboration in the pharma industry fosters a collegial environment despite competitive pressures. Terminated projects can provide valuable data for machine learning models. Attention to detail is crucial in scientific discovery and data curation. Balancing deep expertise with a general understanding of other disciplines is essential in drug discovery. AI and machine learning are transforming the landscape of drug discovery, requiring new skill sets.
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Fun with Pharmacophores
09/29/2023
Fun with Pharmacophores
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 abacus just yet though, and he tells us about his recent consultative adventures too! How have we managed to fit all of this in one episode? It’s a mystery. Takeaways: Dr. Scott Rowland has over 20 years of experience in drug discovery. Structure-based drug design is now widely accepted but still has untapped potential. Collaboration between medicinal chemists and computational chemists is crucial for success. 3D structures provide valuable insights for drug design. Team dynamics play a significant role in the drug discovery process. Consulting allows for flexibility and creativity in biotech startups. Pharmacophores are essential for understanding drug interactions. The concept of pharmacophores is evolving and is not static. Pharmacophore efficiency could be a new metric in drug design. The future of drug discovery relies on collaboration and innovative thinking.
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Computers to Find Big Molecules with Dr. Sandeep Kumar
05/03/2023
Computers to Find Big Molecules with Dr. Sandeep Kumar
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: Takeaways: Dr. Sandeep Kumar is driven by a desire to help patients. Computational methods can revolutionize antibody discovery. In silico antibody discovery can overcome traditional limitations. AI can generate vast libraries of antibodies efficiently. Medicine-like profiles can improve drug developability. Collaboration between tech and biotech is essential. Digital transformation is crucial for the pharmaceutical industry. Data digitization is necessary for effective informatics systems. Computational predictions need to be validated in the lab. The future of drug discovery lies in integrating computation with experimentation.
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Introducing Under the Surface with Chemical Computing Group
04/26/2023
Introducing Under the Surface with Chemical Computing Group
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: . The podcast aims to share: Insights from the field of drug discovery. Computational chemistry is evolving with new technologies and AI. There is a mix of hope and skepticism in the field. Understanding the sociology behind software use is important. Big pharma and small biotech have different approaches to innovation. The history of CCG provides valuable context for current practices. Structural information plays a crucial role in drug discovery. The podcast will feature discussions with industry experts. New technologies are often applied in innovative ways by smaller firms. The future of drug discovery is promising with advancements in AI.
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