#36 Dillan DiNardo: Engineering Consciousness with Psychedelics and AI

Before we dive in, please fill out the below brief reader survey—it takes 60 seconds—to help us better understand what you like and would like to see more of from The Trip Report in 2025!Welcome back to The Trip Report Podcast, a production of Beckley Waves.Today, I am speaking with Dillan DiNardo, CEO of Mindstate Design Labs, an innovative drug development company taking a unique approach to developing next-generation psychedelic medicines.Mindstate's approach builds on the legacy of Sasha and Ann Shulgin, the pioneering chemists often referred to as the godparents of psychedelics. The company's scientific foundation comes from Dr. Tom Ray, a polymath scientist and friend and collaborator of the Shulgins.What makes Mindstate's approach unique is its systematic analysis of both pharmacological and phenomenological data—studying not just how drugs interact with receptors in the brain, but also the subjective experiences they produce. This builds on decades of carefully documented experiences from psychonauts around the world.The company is developing what they call a "primer-probe" approach, using carefully selected combinations of compounds to achieve specific experiential effects. Their lead candidate, Moxie (MSD-1), recently received FDA clearance to begin human trials.Dillan comes to this work with a background in biotech venture capital, bringing a pragmatic approach to drug development while embracing the complexity and potential of psychedelic medicines.In this conversation, we discuss:* The origin story of Mindstate and their novel approach to drug development* How they analyze and quantify subjective psychedelic experiences* Their "primer-probe" methodology using drug combinations* The concept of "psychedelic tofu" - compounds that can amplify or modify other psychedelic effects* Their vision for precision-designed altered states of consciousness* The regulatory pathway for combination psychedelic medicines* The broader implications of their research for understanding consciousnessAnd now, I bring you my conversation with Dillan DiNardo.Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.Credits:* Hosted by Zach Haigney* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari* Find us at thetripreport.com* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTubeTheme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com