First Explorers: Ideas Between the Cracks
While developing our fluid capital structure and fund manager pathway, we've already deployed exploratory capital to support pioneering researchers whose work exemplifies our approach. These first Expeditions demonstrate our commitment to funding breakthrough thinking that falls between the cracks of traditional systems.
Michael Edward Johnson: Bridging Biology and Buddhist Wisdom
Expedition: Vasocomputation & Neural Suffering
- Primary Research Areas: Theory of Vasocomputation, Buddhist-Neuroscience Integration, Consciousness Studies
Michael's work proposes that the small muscles surrounding our blood vessels (VSMCs) are more than regulators of blood flow—they're active computational infrastructure participating in memory, emotion, and trauma response. These muscles create "latches" that physically store predictions about the world and our reactions to it.
This elegant theory connects ancient Buddhist concepts of suffering (tanha) with cutting-edge active inference theories, offering a testable biological mechanism that could explain why certain trauma remains "stuck" in the body. It suggests why specific therapeutic approaches—from meditation to somatic therapy to psychedelics—might effectively release these physical patterns.
What makes Michael's approach remarkable isn't just its originality, but its potential reach. By identifying a biological mechanism underlying trauma, his theory could transform mental health treatment by providing the first measurable biological scaffolding for evaluating various therapeutic approaches. It creates dialogue between traditionally separate domains: contemplative practice, neuroscience, and clinical psychology.
We sat down with Michael for a conversation about the theory, the journey behind it, and what's next.
Omar Shehata: Decoding Digital Thought Propagation
Expedition: Open Memetics Research
- Primary Research Areas: Open Memetics, Digital Culture Analysis, AI-Enabled Social Systems
Omar is developing transparent and participatory frameworks for studying how ideas spread through digital spaces, with emphasis on defensive memetic strategies and open-source tools. His research combines machine learning with voluntary data collection to track narrative evolution, including a Twitter Community Archive of 4M+ tweets and interactive tools for measuring social perception.
His work pioneers a new field of digital memetics, developing works that map how ideas travel, transform, and take root online. This transcends beyond information tracking – he's decoding the underlying mechanics of how knowledge spreads, mutates, and gains collective meaning in our interconnected digital world.
What makes Omar's approach remarkable is its potential to reshape our understanding of collective intelligence. By identifying the subtle dynamics of information propagation, his research could transform how we comprehend knowledge creation in the digital age. His work creates dialogue between traditionally separate domains: network science, digital sociology, and information theory.
We spoke with Omar about the origins of Open Memetics, how ideas evolve online, and what it means to build a science of cultural propagation.
Why These First Expeditions Matter
These pioneering explorations exemplify what Analogue seeks to support: methodologically sound but unconventional paths that create knowledge benefiting multiple domains. They represent the intellectual courage we value—work with foundations solid enough to build upon, yet bold enough to reimagine how we understand fundamental aspects of human experience.
- Fall between disciplines - Neither fits neatly into traditional academic departments or conventional venture theses
- Challenge core assumptions - Each questions fundamental frameworks in their respective domains
- Create unexpected connections - Both bridge seemingly unrelated fields to generate novel insights
- Demonstrate significant potential - Each could transform understanding in multiple domains if successful
- Would be systematically overlooked - Neither would likely receive support from traditional funding sources