Preclinical Drug Discovery Immersive

Learn about Preclinical Drug Discovery This 5-day immersive course provides an in-depth examination of the essential elements involved in developing new therapeutic drugs.

Emphasizing preclinical discovery and development, the curriculum covers the critical requirements for progressing a program to clinical entry.

Students will analyze strategies for identifying optimal drug targets and selecting key molecules that effectively modulate these targets.

The course addresses fundamental aspects of pharmacology and drug safety, as well as the preparation necessary for Investigational New Drug (IND) and regulatory submissions.

Additionally, students will explore career paths within biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, gain insight into portfolio management, and evaluate strategic business considerations related to program advancement or discontinuation.

Additional Reading : From Academia to Industry: What No One Tells You About Drug Development (blog) Key Themes Target Identification and Validation Hit Discovery and Lead Identification Preclinical Pharmacology and Safety Assessment IND, Regulatory and Clinical Strategy, and Business Case Future Trends, Career Opportunities, and Class Simulation Learning Objectives By the end of this course, students will be able to: Understand the stages and processes intrinsic to drug discovery and the progression from target discovery through successful approval to initiate clinical studies.

Recognize fundamental elements required for identifying and validating appropriate targets, integrating emerging technologies such as AI, and incorporating modalities and next generation approaches to address challenging disease biology.

Demonstrate familiarity with early screening workflows, from identifying target hits to chemistry and antibody engineering, as well as conducting early biology, metabolism, and safety assessments to profile lead candidates.

Describe the advancement of molecules through preclinical phases, encompassing in vitro and in vivo pharmacology, disease modeling (in vivo and ex vivo), and toxicological and safety evaluations.

Articulate the components involved in Regulatory submissions as programs prepare for clinical transition.

Evaluate portfolio management strategies and business considerations for continuing or discontinuing preclinical programs.

Review and discuss diverse career paths within Industry, including how to leverage relevant experiences for both preclinical and clinical positions.

Prerequisites There are no required prerequisites for this course.

Students are encouraged to have a foundational understanding of biology, chemistry, pharmacology, or related life sciences prior to enrollment.

Familiarity with basic concepts in life sciences will support successful engagement with the material.

Professional or academic experience in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, or healthcare is helpful but not required.

Format The Preclinical Drug Discovery Immersive Course comprises five full days of in-person instruction on the UC San Diego campus.

Each day will focus on a specific theme relevant to preclinical drug discovery.

Each day will consist of four modules, each lasting 1.5–2 hours and focusing on core topics for the themes.

Lunch and two breaks are scheduled.

The final day features a team simulation combining concepts of drug discovery, roles, timelines, and responses to real-world challenges, emphasizing communication and problem-solving.

All enrolled students will receive access to the course material online, through Canvas, on the start date.

Registration deadline: September 7, 2026 Topics and Lecturers Note: This schedule is subject to change.

Day 1: TARGET IDENTIFICATION AND VALIDATION Topic Lecturer Session 1 The Drug Discovery Landscape & Team Structures Kristen Taylor Meadows - Principal Consultant, KRTM Consulting Services LLC Session 2 From Disease Biology to Target Validation Chris Larson - President of R&D, Levator Therapeutics Session 3 Modality Selection Chris Larson - President of R&D, Levator Therapeutics Session 4 IP and BD Strategy Shana Morshedian - Senior Patent Counsel, Johnson & Johnson Day 2: HIT DISCOVERY AND LEAD IDENTIFICATION Topic Lecturer Session 5 Screening Strategies & Technologies Bryan Becklund - Immunology Group Leader, InhibRx Session 6 Hit-to-Lead Optimization (Part 1) Rachel Rowlands - Drug Discovery & Medicinal Chemistry Leader Session 7 Portfolio Management & Business Decisions Diego Miralles - President and Head of R&D, Artiva Biotherapeutics Session 8 Lead Selection & Early Profiling Kathy Ogilvie - Associate Vice President, Eli Lilly Guest Speaker A Case Study on Lead Discovery and Optimization Glenn Croston - Chief Operations Officer, Rallidae Therapeutics Day 3: PRECLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY AND SAFETY ASSESSMENT Topic Lecturer Session 9 DMPK Studies & Drug Metabolism Kathy Ogilvie - Associate Vice President, Eli Lilly Session 10 In Vivo Pharmacology & Disease Models Richard Myers - Medical Science Liaison, Eli Lilly Session 11 Toxicology & Safety Pharmacology Dahea You - Senior Principal Scientist, Johnson & Johnson Session 12 Hit-to-Lead Optimization (Part 2) Rachel Rowlands - Drug Discovery & Medicinal Chemistry Leader Day 4: IND, REGULATORY AND CLINICAL STRATEGY, AND BUSINESS CASE Topic Lecturer Session 13 IND Preparation & Regulatory Strategy Kathy Ogilvie - Associate Vice President, Eli Lilly Dahea You - Senior Principal Scientist, Johnson & Johnson Session 14 Emerging Technologies in Discovery Richard Myers - Medical Science Liaison, Eli Lilly Session 15 External Partnerships & CRO Management Kristen Taylor Meadows - Principal Consultant, KRTM Consulting Services LLC Guest Speaker A Case Study on Go/No Go Decision Making Jonathan Usuka - Chief Executive Officer, Sapient Day 5: FUTURE TRENDS, CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, AND CLASS SIMULATION Topic Lecturer Session 16 From IND Through Clinical Development Keith Wilner - Executive Director, Pfizer Session 17 Full Discovery-to-IND Simulation Kristen Taylor Meadows - Principal Consultant, KRTM Consulting Services LLC Session 18 Career Options in Industry Shana Morshedian - Senior Patent Counsel, Johnson & Johnson Jennifer McAlpine - Executive Director Program Management, Gossamer Bio Margie Holmes - Vice President, Regulatory Affairs & Quality Assurance, Actio Biosciences Guest Speaker The Future of Drug Discovery and Development Niels Vande Casteele - Vice President, Mirador Therapeutics and Associate Professor, UCSD School of Medicine