Insights That Move the GPCR Field Forward

How do you study receptors with no ligands and no structures? In this episode, PhD student Alessandro Nicoli explains how AlphaFold and molecular dynamics are revolutionizing the study of olfactory GPCRs. By turning predictions into starting points, Alessandro and his team are building models that not only match experimental accuracy but also open new doors in ligand discovery, drug design, and the future of computational biology.

From Venice to Munich, follow the story of Alessandro Nicoli, a PhD student whose path into science was anything but linear. In this episode, he shares how a love of chemistry, the guidance of key mentors, and a leap into computational modeling led him to tackle one of biology’s greatest puzzles: olfactory GPCRs. Discover how AlphaFold, molecular dynamics, and curiosity-driven research are reshaping the way we study G protein-coupled receptors.