First, I'd like to thank you for stopping by the website and taking a look around. ChemJam is 100% built and operated by yours truly
(John Widen in case you missed it). I really did think the world could use another science blog. Yes, I did design the logo and graphics myself.
The name was honestly chosen because many other domains were taken or insanely expensive. I think ChemJam has a nice ring to it and is
starting to grow on me though. Let's Jam out on some chemistry with phenyl rings to make cyclocacophony and sweet moleculeody.
I've been thinking about writing a blog
ever since the first time I read In the Pipeline by Derek Lowe many years ago. Sometimes, I think it is nice to read something
that isn't a science paper but still about science. The tone and syntax make it easier to read and digest compared to a dense publication
where every sentence contains a lot of information to unpack. I hope this blog provides a space to discuss interesting publications, news, and ideas
focused on science from a medicinal chemistry perspective.
I love feedback and truly hope this blog will provide a platform for discussion. If you have any comments, suggestions, or want to contribute please email at
jwiden@chemjam.com.
I live in the Bay Area. So, a lot of my news and focus will likely be on companies within the Bay Area. Thankfully, it is the self-proclaimed
birth place of biotechnology. Who knows where this will take me though? I bet I'll write about other companies and happenings in the world. So, even if you're not
interested specifically in Bay Area biotech please stay tuned. Or better yet, drop me a line if you have tips or leads on companies anywhere else.I'm planning to discuss small to medium size biotech companies focused on drug discovery. I am an organic chemist by training and
therefore am more interested in small molecules. Other things I enjoy are covalent small molecules, strained ring systems, high-throughput screening,
peptides (linear and cyclic), and patents. I have a wide range of interests and will discuss whatever comes to me. Some feedback from a colleague suggested
that it would have been nice to have a medicinal chemistry wiki of sorts to discuss aspects of medicinal chemistry that are not in text books when
they had just joined industry as a medicinal chemist. I was trained
in a medicinal chemistry department and therefore was taught early on the importance of optimizing for DMPK properties, interpretation of
DMPK focused experiments, and how all of these parameters must be
balanced to identify a development candidate. I have learned a lot over the past five years working in industry and
through out my career thus far. But, there is always more to learn! Forever and always.
I like the idea of a medicinal chemistry wiki. So, I am going to incorporate that into my blogging and eventually organize it when the content is sufficient.
I plan to cover things like going through patent applications for a literature-based/information-driven approach (a.k.a. patent busting),
common issues that arise in drug discovery like CYP induction through PXR agonism, interpretation of liver microsome and hepatocyte data, and in vivo
pharmacokinetic studies (PK). I'll also cover literature and relevant publications.
That is enought rambling for now. Hopefully, this gave you a good idea of what ChemJam will focus on. Thanks for reading and
comeback soon. Disclaimer: This blog is for general information and educational purposes only. It is not legal,
financial, or investment advice. Reading this blog does not create any attorney-client, advisor-client,
or any other professional relationship. ChemJam makes every effort to provide accurate and up to date information,
but cannot guarantee it. ChemJam is not responsible for any decisions you make based on any information provided on this website.
Please do your own research and consult a qualified professional before making legal,
financial, or investment decisions.
