RNA should be a terrible drug target. It’s long, noodle-like structure lacks the nooks and crannies that small molecule drugs use to grab onto proteins and thereby control them. But a decades-old disregard for RNA is starting to change. In August 2018, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the first-ever RNA interference (RNAi) drug, which uses a double-stranded RNA molecule to prevent the production of disease-related proteins. In the past two years, several startups have launched to show that some RNAs can, just like proteins, be drugged with small molecules. And a third group of companies recently emerged with plans to drug proteins that make modifications to RNA, part of the budding field of epitranscriptomics. In this episode, C&EN visits Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, and Accent Therapeutics to discuss these three strategies, and to understand how RNA-modulating therapies will compete in the wider world of drug discovery.

Visit our website for a script of this podcast.

Music credits:

“And...(Insert Problem Here)” by GR∑Y is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0. 

“Raccoon Family Robinson”, “Robot Park”, and "The Confrontation" by Podington Bear are licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0. 

“Wireless” by Lee Rosevere is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0. 

Image credit: J. Am. Chem. Soc.

Closing out the inaugural year of Stereo Chemistry, host Kerri Jansen and C&EN reporter Tien Nguyen share a collection of stories about ways of distilling complex chemistry. Join us for a resonant take on organic chemistry reactions, an abridged explanation of some Nobel Prize–winning work, and the story behind a chemical earworm. A script of this episode is available at cen.acs.org/education/science-communication/Finding-fun-ways-simplify-complicated/96/web/2018/12. Read about the year’s most memorable chemistry at cenm.ag/yic2018. Other stories referenced in this episode: Unusual mash-ups of art and science | C&EN https://cen.acs.org/articles/96/i9/Unusual-mash-ups-art-science.html Frances H. Arnold, George P. Smith, and Gregory P. Winter share 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry | C&EN https://cen.acs.org/biological-chemistry/Frances-H-Arnold-George-P-Smith-and-Gregory-P-Winter-share-2018-Nobel-Prize-in-Chemistry/96/web/2018/10 How is directed evolution changing the world? | C&EN https://cen.acs.org/people/nobel-prize/directed-evolution-changing-world/96/i44 Alex Sable-Smith’s tweet about his dad’s Nobel win https://twitter.com/alexsablesmith/status/1047453987006377985?lang=en New definitions for the kilogram and mole | C&EN https://cen.acs.org/analytical-chemistry/New-definitions-kilogram-mole/96/web/2018/11 “Clarinet Cora Theme” by Lobo Loco is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 “The Confrontation” by Podington Bear is licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0 Clips from “A Mole Is a Unit,” “Amazing Spoons,” and “Mendeleev” were provided courtesy of Mike Offutt

The smell of old books. The crinkle of the yellowing pages. While admiring the wonders of libraries, have you ever wondered how paper ages and why some sheets last longer than others? Paper conservation scientists have. Stereo Chemistry caught up with a slew of these researchers after hearing about a special collection of books at the U.S. Library of Congress. The more than 1,000 volumes in this collection have essentially donated their bodies to science. We embarked on a time-travel journey to learn more about this collection and the self-trained chemist, a polarizing figure, who donated it and who helped bring about modern-day paper preservation testing. Read "The Great Promoter: William J. Barrow and His Role in the History of Conservation" by Sally Cruz Roggia here: https://cool.conservation-us.org/coolaic/sg/bpg/annual/v20/bp20-09.pdf “The Ants Built a City on His Chest” by Doctor Turtle is licensed under CC BY 4.0. http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Doctor_Turtle/The_Double-Down_Two-Step/the_ants_built_a_city_on_his_chest_v3_1305 “The road we use to travel when we were kids” by Komiku is licensed under CC0 1.0. http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku/Tale_on_the_Late/Komiku_-_Tale_on_the_Late_-_03_The_road_we_use_to_travel_when_we_were_kids “The Confrontation” by Podington Bear is licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0. http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Passages/The_Confrontation “LoveChances” by Makaih Beats is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0. http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Makaih_Beats/Fake_Love_makaihbeatsnet/LoveChances_makaihbeatsnet The podcast's script will soon be on cen.acs.org, but here is a draft version in the meantime: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ytvUHzffzdEZ6GTqA0IupVCNI3zkdDDkNGXBzXOWFRA/edit?usp=sharing

Even scientists can have superstitions: a lucky shirt, a supernatural paper towel, an elaborate ritual to keep the NMR running smoothly. In this episode of Stereo Chemistry, we’re sharing superstitions from our listeners to celebrate Halloween. Join host—and proud black cat owner—Kerri Jansen as she explores the not-exactly-scientific notions of the chemistry world. View a transcript of this episode at https://cen.acs.org/people/Chemists-share-lab-superstitions/96/i44. Watch videos from the Talented 12 symposium at the American Chemical Society national meeting in Boston at bit.ly/t12vids2018. Read more about the honorees’ research at bit.ly/2OKJ2Dw. This episode was written, hosted, and produced by Kerri Jansen. Music: “Moonlight Hall” by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under CC BY 3.0 “The Confrontation” by Podington Bear is licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0

Deborah Blum's new book, "The Poison Squad," comes out Sept. 25. The author and award-winning science writer sat down with us to discuss the crusading chemist—and crazy experiment—behind the book's title and America's first food safety regulation. To register for C&EN's Nobel Prize prediction webinar, visit https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/acs-webinars/popular-chemistry/predicting-nobel-4.html "Glass Bells Dancing With A Synthesizer" by Daniel Birch is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Daniel_Birch/Minimal_Bells_From_The_Deep/Glass_Bells_Dancing_With_A_Synthesizer "The Confrontation" by Podington Bear is licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0 http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Passages/The_Confrontation "Drive Til Dawn" by Rockit Maxx is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rockit_Maxx/Rockit_Maxx/Rockit_Maxx_-_Rockit_Maxx_-_04_Drive_Til_Dawn

Graduate students handle myriad challenges, including a labmate’s annoying habit and loneliness when transplanted into a foreign country. C&EN reporters Kerri Jansen, Matt Davenport, and Linda Wang spoke to several international Ph.D. candidates to learn how they stay motivated, productive, and find balance amid the chaos. Find a transcript of this episode and even more thoughts from grad students around the world at https://cen.acs.org/education/graduate-education/Hear-stories-grad-students-around/96/web/2018/09 Register for the Nobel Prize predictions webinar at https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/acs-webinars/popular-chemistry/predicting-nobel-4.html This episode was written and produced by Kerri Jansen. “The Zeppelin” by Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Blue_Dot_Sessions/Aeronaut/The_Zeppelin_1908 “The Confrontation” by Podington Bear is licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0 freemusicarchive.org/music/Podingto…_Confrontation

Three of chemistry’s rising stars joined us on stage at the ACS national meeting in Boston for a light-hearted look at some of this summer’s most buzzworthy chemistry news. Luisa Whittaker-Brooks (University of Utah), Staff Sheehan (Catalytic Innovations and the Air Company), and Jillian Dempsey (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill)—all members of C&EN’s Talented 12 this year or in past years—went head-to-head in our quiz show that covered everything from avocados to ZIF-8, a metal organic framework. To hear the full episode and find all the stories featured in the quiz, visit our website at bit.ly/stereochemlive. Check out all of C&EN's meeting coverage at http://bit.ly/CENmeetingnews "Beach Wedding Dance" by Rolemusic is licensed under CC BY 4.0. "60's Quiz Show" by Podington Bear is licensed under CC BY 3.0. "Funky perc" loop is by eshar. https://www.looperman.com/loops/detail/50060/funky-perc-by-eshar-free-120bpm-funk-percussion-loop

The European X-ray Free Electron Laser recently came online as the biggest and brightest source of X-rays on planet Earth. This will allow chemists to do groundbreaking research, but with great science comes great responsibility. In our latest Stereo Chemistry podcast, C&EN contributing editor Mark Peplow visits the X-ray facility to learn about its growing pains, its staff’s unique approach to keeping it running, and some of its early successes. “Kitty In The Window” by Podington Bear is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License. http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Said_Lion_To_Lamb_Box_Set_Disc_3/Kitty_In_The_Window “The Confrontation” by Podington Bear is licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0. http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Passages/The_Confrontation “Gerald's Place” by Raleigh Moncrief is licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0. http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Raleigh_Moncrief/Vitamins_EP/Raleigh_Moncrief_-_Vitamins_EP_-_06_Geralds_Place Matt stands by his awful William Lawrence Bragg pun, but does feel conflicted over not including William Henry Bragg, Max von Laue, photographic plates, and other important players in the history of X-ray crystallography.

Although genome sequencing has helped scientists reveal proteins wreaking havoc in our bodies, that doesn’t guarantee scientists can invent the drugs to take them down. Depending on who you talk to, up to 85% of the human proteome is currently “undruggable,” meaning these proteins lack easy-to-find pockets where therapeutics, such as small molecules, can bind. But a wave of biotech companies, each one armed with new technology, has arrived to tackle the problem. Industry and academic scientists explain why they think the business and scientific environment is ripe for finally overcoming the most elusive drug targets. For a full transcript and more links, visit https://cen.acs.org/pharmaceuticals/drug-discovery/quest-drug-undruggable/96/i26 Subscribe to Stereo Chemistry now on iTunes, Google Play, or TuneIn. “Soundboy” by 4bstr4ck3r is licensed under CC BY-4.0. http://freemusicarchive.org/music/4bstr4ck3r/4bstr4ck3r/4bstr4ck3r_-_4bstr4ck3r_-_01_Soundboy_CC-BY-NC “The Ascent” by A. A. Aalto is licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0. http://freemusicarchive.org/music/A_A_Aalto/Bright_Corners/The_Ascent “The Confrontation” by Podington Bear is licensed under CC BY-NC 3.0. http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Passages/The_Confrontation

Our bones contain chemical information about our diet, our behavior, and even our geographic origin. With the right tools, scientists can decode that information to learn about the past lives behind skeletal remains. Christine France of the Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute uses stable isotope ratio analysis to help anthropologists answer questions about possible 18th-century pirates and more. Sign up for C&EN’s newsletter at bit.ly/chemnewsletter. Find a full transcript of the episode at http://cenm.ag/storyinbones. Stereo Chemistry is published by C&EN, the newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society. Contact us at [email protected]. This episode was written, hosted, and produced by Kerri Jansen. Music: “Shoe Glaze” by Jesse Spillane is licensed under CC BY 4.0