The Long Run with Luke Timmerman
Apr 21, 2026 · 1 hr 10 min · 15 segments
Marty Burke, a professor of chemistry at the University of Illinois and co-founder of Excelsior Sciences, on making small molecule synthesis more automated for AI.
Martin BurkeGuest
Luke TimmermanHost
So you're going to make new medicines rather than administer those to patients one-on-one.
So in the U.S., of course, you go through this process where you apply for academic positions, you send in your proposals and your, you know, your background, et cetera.
And but when I came to Illinois, oh, my goodness, like this place is phenomenal.
I mean, there's some things about Illinois that make it, I think, very special.
The one for me that was the most important is it was clear that if I came here, I was only going to be limited by myself.
And at that point in my life, I just craved that so much to know that I didn't have a ceiling.
And all kinds of resources, great students and faculty from all over the world.
So you're going to make new medicines rather than administer those to patients one-on-one.
So in the U.S., of course, you go through this process where you apply for academic positions, you send in your proposals and your, you know, your background, et cetera.
And but when I came to Illinois, oh, my goodness, like this place is phenomenal.
I mean, there's some things about Illinois that make it, I think, very special.
The one for me that was the most important is it was clear that if I came here, I was only going to be limited by myself.
And at that point in my life, I just craved that so much to know that I didn't have a ceiling.
And all kinds of resources, great students and faculty from all over the world.
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