Professional Overview
Nicholas A. Nystrom, PhD, serves as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Peptilogics, a biotechnology company dedicated to leveraging computational science to accelerate drug design. His role involves leading technology strategy, implementation, and operation across AI, machine learning, and computational science. Nystrom plays a critical role in fostering technology partnerships and maintaining active university relations.
Career Background
Before joining Peptilogics, Nystrom was the Chief Scientist at the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center (PSC), where he developed sustainable high-performance computing (HPC) ecosystems for research in medicine, science, and engineering. He was the architect and principal investigator for several national supercomputing projects, such as Bridge, Bridges-2, Blacklight, Bridges-AI, and Neocortex. These supercomputers significantly contributed to advancements in computational research, including enhancing national AI capacity by 283% with Bridges-AI.
Nicholas Nystrom has also contributed to significant federal initiatives, notably the Human BioMolecular Atlas Program (HuBMAP), creating infrastructure for mapping human tissues at single-cell resolution and facilitating interoperability with other medical data initiatives. His research has also spanned machine learning applications in cancer detection, diagnostics, and other medical areas.
Notable Achievements and Contributions
- Bridges Supercomputer: Pioneered the convergence of AI, HPC, and big data.
- HuBMAP: Led the program to facilitate comprehensive mapping of the human body at a cellular level.
- COVID-19 HPC Consortium: Contributed to urgent research on COVID-19 through enhanced computational capabilities in Bridges.
- Interoperability of Medical Data: Established frameworks for data coordination among various health research initiatives.
Role at Peptilogics
Nystrom joined Peptilogics in 2021 as the Senior Vice President of Computation and Data. He was promoted to CTO in January 2022. At Peptilogics, his primary focus is on scaling drug design through the integration of generative AI, HPC, and physics-based simulation. His work aims to accelerate the development of lead compounds into clinically viable drugs, with a broad focus on diverse biological targets and therapeutic areas.
Key Initiatives at Peptilogics
- AI-Driven Drug Design: Employing advanced AI techniques to improve the safety and efficacy of drug candidates.
- Scalability: Enhancing the computational systems to handle a broader range of targets and diseases, beyond traditional limits.
- Interdisciplinary Team Building: Assembling teams with diverse expertise in science and machine learning to drive innovation in drug discovery.
Educational Background
Nystrom earned his PhD in Chemistry, specializing in Quantum Chemistry, from the University of Pittsburgh. His undergraduate background includes majors in Chemistry, Math, and Physics.
Public Contributions and Recognition
Nicholas Nystrom has been a prominent figure in organizing international conferences on AI, HPC, and computational science. He has served on numerous federal review panels, delivered invited talks on advanced computing, and published extensively in the fields of computer architecture, deep learning, genomics, and high-productivity programming languages.
Conclusion
Relevant Skills and Expertise
- Leadership in Advanced Computational Technologies: Proven experience in developing and managing large-scale HPC environments and AI infrastructures.
- Innovative Drug Design: Specialized in using computational science to drive advancements in drug discovery and development.
- Strategic Partnerships: Capability to foster collaboration between academic, federal, and industrial sectors to push forward the boundaries of biotechnological research.
Sales Call Insight
When approaching Nicholas Nystrom for a sales opportunity, it would be pertinent to focus on the capabilities of your solution to integrate with or enhance Peptilogics’ existing computational and AI frameworks, improve scalability in drug discovery, and support interdisciplinary research efforts. Highlighting features that align with his goal of accelerating drug design through advanced computational methods could resonate well with his professional interests and strategic objectives.
