Themasap Khan

started Luma Group

[Themasap Khan @themasap]

So much talk about bio's AI revolution (mostly leveraging current data and methods), but not much re: how we need an entire measurement revolution to be able to properly feed these models. we’re scaling the models faster than we’re improving their view of biology. This is solid!

[Neal Amin @neal_amin]

Today, Sculpta releases the first demonstration of bioorthogonal barcoding ("bobcoding"), the process by which we:

1) covalently attach oligonucleotide barcodes to RNA at multiple internal positions with two-step chemistry, and 2) perform a multiplexed reverse transcription reaction to generate barcoded cDNA libraries with >99% barcoding accuracy.

To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time ever that either of these steps have ever been performed by anyone. No one has ever broken the barrier of multiplexing prior to any enzymatic step in library preparation, driving simplicity and higher data quality. Instead of other methods that add 0 or 1 barcode, we add one barcode every ~300bp, adding redundancy and fidelity to RNA measurements.

In our first application described in our pre-print below, we used bobcodes to create the first RNA isoform-resolved drug screening platform. It beats Novartis' DRUG-seq platform by:

- generating full length transcript capture of RNA isoforms, instead of just 3' end counting
- capturing 25-fold more RNA splicing events
- reducing barcode swapping by 10-fold
- using 18 fewer PCR cycles (~250,000 less amplification)
- reducing sample-to-sample variability in gene expression measurements
- eliminating costly and cumbersome library fragmentation/tagmentation steps completely
- reducing workflow complexity and number of steps
- reducing overall protocol duration by ~25%

Though our chemical barcoding method improved transcriptomic data quality while also being simpler and faster than all existing methods, the implications of this work go well beyond this particular use case:

The gate to greater applications of AI in transcriptomics is not a lack of compute. Nor is it a lack of data volume. The elephant in the room has always been our limited ability to faithfully and accurately measure cellular RNAs.

Sculpta now has line of sight to build what we call the first ground truth transcriptomics platform [for single cell, spatial and more] for the future of biological research, drug development and AI-enabled discoveries for the betterment of human health and longevity.

[PS Until the kind folks at bioRxiv get through the apparent backlog of AI slop submissions, Sculpta will host the pre-print PDF on our website. You can sign up for product offerings and other updates at this link too]

https://t.co/QPApERi7RT

[Themasap Khan @themasap]

@NWischoff @Shawn_Booth I can come for the smoothie run after.

[Themasap Khan @themasap]

We are incredibly grateful to our investors for trusting us, to our founders for letting us be part of some of the most important work of their lives, and to the entire Luma team and our advisors for helping build this firm.

We are just getting started.

[Themasap Khan @themasap]

Today we are announcing the final close of LumaBio I, Luma Group’s inaugural 15-year life sciences venture fund, with $410 million in committed capital.

More importantly, we are announcing what we are building at Luma Group.

Full announcement: https://t.co/Om1EXPYdWm

[Themasap Khan @themasap]

Our mission is ultimately simple: back exceptional scientists and entrepreneurs working on some of the hardest problems in human health.

Medicines. Diagnostics. Devices.

And provide the capital, scientific support and time required to turn breakthrough science into products

[Themasap Khan @themasap]

Big update from LUMA Group 🚀
We’re thrilled to announce our latest news: “First Foundation Labs, Founded by Luma Group, Collaborates with Microsoft to Bring AI-Powered Clinical and Translational Reasoning to Microsoft Discovery“.

https://t.co/MmoXPWvvP3

[Themasap Khan @themasap]

https://t.co/tTJHY0e0aw

[Themasap Khan @themasap]

Congrats to @EliLillyandCo on their agreement to acquire Vaccine Company for up to ~$1.5B, a Luma PortCo

When we became cofounding investor in VaxCo in 2024, we set out with a mission to build transformative vaccine technologies with the potential to leapfrog existing approaches

[Themasap Khan @themasap]

We are proud to have been part of VaxCo's journey and could not be more grateful to the Lilly team for sharing the vision that EBV prevention could meaningfully reduce the long-term burden of serious disease and help deliver next-generation vaccines to people around the world.

[Themasap Khan @themasap]

A successful prophylactic vaccine could have an impact well beyond infectious mononucleosis, potentially reducing the long-term neurological and oncological consequences associated with EBV infection.

[Themasap Khan @themasap]

@zachweinberg Working on all of these. Stay tuned.

[Themasap Khan @themasap]

@celinehalioua Working on it.

[San Francisco Business Times @SFBusinessTimes]

Why investors put $50 million into this Bay Area epilepsy drug developer https://t.co/eUKDBXmEHn

[Matthew Policastro @mpolicastro]

Aeovian Pharmaceuticals Raises $55 Million to Advance First-in-Class Selective mTORC1 Inhibitor for Tuberous Sclerosis Complex-Related Epilepsy - https://t.co/WqFNErh3Aq