Join the science revolution at Drug Discovery 2022
Access the most exciting research and find the latest technologies that could propel your projects forward
At ELRIG, our purpose is to serve you, the drug discovery community. And that’s why, when you tell us that you find it difficult to keep up with the latest research and technological developments across the industry, from cell and gene therapy advancements to medicinal chemistry innovations, we listen.
With increasingly diverse and collaborative thinking leading to unprecedented scientific progress, we are truly on the cusp of a renaissance in the life sciences – and we want to help you be part of it. Drug Discovery 2022 provides a platform for the whole drug discovery community to meet at a free to attend in-person event, at the ExCel in London from 4-5th October. Join us to learn from world-leading experts, foster collaborations and explore the latest advancements in areas spanning screening, automation, high content imaging, disease models and cell and gene therapies.
But don’t just take our word for it, read on to get an exclusive sneak peek from keynote speakers, Molly Stevens, Professor of Biomedical Materials and Regenerative Medicine at Imperial College London, and Rab Prinjha, VP Head of Immunology Research Unit at GlaxoSmithKline on what insights they’ll be sharing and what they see as the drivers of the drug discovery revolution.
The children of the (life science) revolution
It’s an incredibly exciting time in the life sciences – with a focus on collaboration across disciplines the sky is the limit and the opportunities to create diagnostic tools and therapeutics that could benefit society as a whole are innumerable. But what do our esteemed colleagues make of the revolution?
What do you see as being the driver for the renaissance in the life sciences?
RP: In many ways, the pandemic has catalysed the renaissance by reminding scientists of our potential impact and purpose. This is clearly true in the study of viruses and vaccines, but also in immunology and physiology of medicines more broadly.
MS: For me, it is technological advancements that are allowing us to approach research in ways that weren’t possible before. We are seeing game-changing developments in connected and personalised medicine that harness the power of artificial intelligence for drug design, multidimensional health data analysis and disease prediction, which will enable us to make the healthcare of the future a reality. I hope to see a combined, collaborative effort to ensure that this renaissance truly benefits society across the geographical and economic divide.
Molly and Rab, as our keynote speakers, what insights can attendees expect to gain through attending your presentations, and how does it speak to the life science revolution?
MS: My presentation, which takes place on October 4th, focuses on how our in-house technology – SPARTA® – is enabling us to analyse single nanoparticles in a high-throughput, non-destructive, label-free manner. SPARTA® decodes the physicochemical composition of individual particles in real-time allowing us to monitor and quality control nanoparticle synthesis processes in ways impossible to achieve using traditional bulk characterisation methods. By using this tool, we are developing a portfolio of nanomedicines designed to interact with the biological environment to deliver a targeted biocargo.
What I find most exciting is how versatile our nanomaterials portfolio and SPARTA platforms are. In fact, the great value of the versatility was highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic when we redesigned our ultrasensitive biosensing lateral-flow tests, previously validated for Ebola and HIV, and developed new virustatic nanomimics proven to block viral entry. I hope our work will inspire a translational framework for future innovation in nanomedicine and help further fuel the revolution!
RP: My presentation is on the second day of the event – October 5th. I will be speaking about how we are systematically applying genomic sciences at scale across our portfolio to help overcome one of the greatest challenges we see in immunology and drug discovery – identifying the best target for medicines. The growth in the scale of the data, technology and ambition in this area is inspiring, and I hope to be able to inspire other scientists too. With target identification a stumbling block for many therapeutic areas, I hope that some visibility of the enhancements in speed and quality, together with a vision for how this can be meaningfully integrated, will encourage researchers to join us or others now starting to embark on this journey.
Supporting the future of drug discovery to aid the revolution
Early Career Professionals (ECPs) are the future of drug discovery. Not only will they become the next generation of key opinion leaders and renowned experts, but they also bring new perspectives to the industry that could help foster breakthroughs. If you’re an ECP, make the most of Drug Discovery 2022 by taking part in career development workshops; from panel discussions on founding a biotech start-up to ‘Network like a Boss’ where you’ll be able to start to build a network, helping you open new doors. And rest assured, the ‘Bosses’ who take part are all very supportive and happy to offer you career advice and guidance, just like Molly and Rab, who were both keen to provide their top tips:
What is one piece of practical advice you would give to an early career professional?
RP: That’s a tricky question to answer! I don’t think I can just stick to one. I’d say to listen well, learn fast, make good friends in science and trust your instincts! To help make good friends in science make the most of opportunities when they present themselves, be passionate about your work and curious of that of others. Being able to connect with peers and build a network is truly invaluable so I’d urge you to attend in-person events, like Drug Discovery when you can.
MS: In a scientific career it is fundamental to find a topic that you feel passionate about – it then becomes almost a natural response to commit all your effort and enjoy the process. Remember that setbacks will happen but take them as an opportunity to learn! It is also important to have the support of good mentors and to build a collegiate team that share core values. I am extremely thankful for the amazingly talented and generous people that have supported me and worked alongside me throughout my career.
Drug Discovery 2022: Your event of 2022
Each year, we relish hearing your feedback so we can continue to tailor our events for you. And we heard you when you said you’d like an even broader scientific programme. To bring you more world-class science than ever before, we have partnered with the British Pharmacological Society (BPS), The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS). The jam-packed programme covers:
- Cutting-edge advancements in screening and automation
- High content imaging
- Innovations in disease models
- Advances in cell and gene therapies
- Revolutions through partnerships
- Future perspectives in medicinal and green chemistry
- Creative thinking to deliver therapies to COPD
But Drug Discovery isn’t an event to simply attend – it’s something to be part of. Join in and contribute by submitting a poster, participate in a round-table discussion or take part in workshops such as the Hackathon of Lab Instrument Interoperability. Some of these activities have limited spaces, so register for Drug Discovery now and indicate which you’d like to participate in to secure your place!
Molly and Rab are as excited for the event as we are:
What is most exciting to you about this year’s Drug Discovery event?
MS: I think the symbiosis of academic research and industry-driven innovation is an incredibly exciting aspect of the event. We will have the opportunity to learn from different perspectives and feed new ideas into our own creative workflow. In my research group, we take a very interdisciplinary and intersectoral approach to science and benefit massively from the connections and knowledge transfer we gain from attending events like Drug Discovery.
RP: The value of face-to-face events shouldn’t be underestimated. After the pandemic, it is still particularly exciting to see live talks and have great conversations with other speakers and attendees. By attending in person events, you can interact and engage with people from across the industry in a way that isn’t possible via virtual means.
Don’t miss out: Register for Drug Discovery 2022 now
To learn from and meet individuals like Molly and Rab and discover break-through technologies that could propel your research forward, register for Drug Discovery 2022 now. There’s a reason why over 2,000 experts come together at Europe’s biggest life science event, and we’d hate for you to miss out.
If you’re still not convinced, then watch this space for our next blog, where you’ll hear directly from our conference directors, Katie Chapman (Discovery Biology Director, VC Funded Biotech Company), Simon Chell (Executive Director, Discovery Biology, AstraZeneca), Jon Hutchinson (Scientific Leader, GlaxoSmithKline), and Simon Ward (Director of the Medicinces Institute, Cardiff University).