About Rosetta Design Group
Founded in 2007, Rosetta Design Group (RDG) has been at the forefront of bioinformatics and molecular modeling, dedicated to tackle the crux of research pursuits through the application of bioinformatics and molecular modeling and to make the Rosetta Macromolecular Modeling Suite more accessible and powerful for scientists and researchers across the biotechnology industry.
Today, RDG excels in providing contract R&D, consulting, support services, and specialized training in computational macromolecular modeling and bioinformatics. As a proud and active member of the Rosetta Commons, a consortium of over 100 academic labs, RDG remains deeply connected to the latest advancements in protein modeling and design.
History
Our history is intertwined with the early days of the Rosetta Commons, itself founded in 2004.
Xavier Ambroggio, RDG’s founder, was a postdoctoral researcher in Brian Kuhlman’s lab at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. David Nannemann, our current managing member, honed his skills under Jens Meiler at Vanderbilt University.
When Rosetta Design Group was established, both Drs. Kuhlman and Meiler had just completed their postdoctoral work in David Baker’s lab at the University of Washington, during the early days of Rosetta’s development.
Over the years, RDG has recruited extensively from the Rosetta Commons community, fostering a team with unparalleled expertise and innovation.
Member Institution of the Rosetta Commons
As a unique member of the Rosetta Commons, Rosetta Design Group serves as a bridge between industry scientists and the academic community, facilitating collaborations, and contributing to the continuous improvement of the Rosetta software. Our commitment to excellence and innovation has positioned us as a trusted partner for companies seeking to advance their research through state-of-the-art computational modeling.
Our Expertise and Solutions
At Rosetta Design Group, we routinely leverage Rosetta’s powerful tools, alongside cutting-edge AI-driven technologies like RoseTTAFold, RFDiffusion, and ProteinMPNN. We also develop custom software tailored to meet the unique demands of each project. This combination of expertise, technology, and innovation allows us to deliver exceptional results for our clients.
Whether you are looking to solve a challenging research problem, enhance your team’s expertise in macromolecular modeling, explore new frontiers in protein design, or just run this state-of-the-art software, Rosetta Design Group is here to help you succeed. Contact us today to learn how we can support your scientific endeavors.
Our Founders
David Nannemann - Managing Member
David is a computational structural biologist, soccer fanatic, and camping aficionado, with a passion for harnessing the power of protein modeling to understand and control protein function. With a deep-rooted expertise in the Rosetta modeling software, David approaches scientific challenges from a structural perspective, aiming to uncover the fundamental mechanisms that drive protein interactions and enzyme activity.
David's journey in computational biology began at Vanderbilt University, where he trained under Prof. Jens Meiler, gaining hands-on experience with advanced protein modeling techniques. He further honed his skills during his nearly six-year tenure at EMD Serono, where he applied computational tools to real-world challenges in drug discovery and development.
Since joining Rosetta Design Group in 2020 and becoming the managing member in 2021, David has led the company with a vision of advancing computational macromolecular modeling. Based in Albuquerque, NM, he continues to drive RDG’s mission to deliver innovative, high-impact solutions for clients in the biotechnology industry.
Xavier Ambroggio - Advisory Board Member, Founder
Xavier Ambroggio is a structural biologist, avid sailor, and one-time fashion model, who blends scientific rigor with creative problem-solving.
Early in his career in structural biology, Xavier studied protein X-ray crystallography under Doug Rees and biochemistry under Ray Deshaies at Caltech. He further advanced his expertise in protein design and structure prediction during his postdoctoral work in Brian Kuhlman’s lab at UNC Chapel Hill. It was here that Xavier developed novel algorithms for protein design and structure prediction that would become integral to the Rosetta Macromolecular Modeling Suite.
In 2007, Xavier co-founded Rosetta Design Group, alongside Nir London (now at the Weizmann Institute), with a vision to bring these groundbreaking technologies to the broader scientific community. Under his leadership, RDG quickly became a key player in industry and beyond, known for its innovative approaches to protein modeling and design, and Xavier was recruited by the Bioinformatics and Computational Biosciences Branch of the NIAID to apply RDG’s expertise in the context of advancing human health.
After over a decade in the trenches, Xavier has transitioned to RDG’s Advisory Board, where he continues to provide strategic guidance while pursuing his diverse interests. Based in Burlington, VT, and the surrounding seas, Xavier enjoys both the natural beauty of the region and the intellectual challenges of applying prediction algorithms to complex systems, physical and virtual, from local weather phenomena to macroeconomic trends.
