Personality tests for molecules

Long-time readers of Practical Fragments will be familiar with various metrics for measuring molecules, such as LE, LLE, and WTF. But these are all hard-edged, numerical constructs. Some folks argue that we should take a softer, more nuanced approach. This call has been heeded by Katharine Bigg and Isabel Myerrors in the form of a “Myerrors-Bigg” Type Indicator, or MBTI.

 

The MBTI consists of a series of questions which rank a molecule into four dimensions: Extroversion/Introversion, Sociable/Nonsociable, Flat/Three-dimensional, and Pretty/Janky. Defining molecules as extroverts may sound strange, but it really just comes down to a question of molecular recognition: we’ve noted that 4-bromopyrazole seems to bind to just about every protein and is thus an Extrovert while other compounds, being Introverts, fall into the category of “dark chemical matter” and never come up in screens.

 

As for the other dimensions, Practical Fragments has written previously about (Non)Sociable fragments as well as Flat fragments. This leads to the last dimension. Claims that beauty is in the eye of the beholder are undermined by the rigorous process of the MBTI, which places molecules such as curcumin squarely in the Janky category while approved drugs are self-evidently Pretty. Thus, toxoflavin is an ESFJ, while sotorasib is an INTP.

 

The utility of the MBTI remains to be established, but this has not stopped companies everywhere from applying it in their acquisition and evaluation processes. And other tests, such as the Decagram of Personality and the Big Six Personality Traits, are also becoming popular. Which do you prefer?