Cambridge Healthtech Institute Training Seminars offer real-life case studies, problems encountered and solutions applied, along with extensive coverage of the academic theory and background. Each Training Seminar offers a mix of formal lecture and interactive discussions and activities to maximize the learning experience. These Training Seminars are led by experienced instructors who will focus on content applicable to your current research and provide important guidance for those new to their fields.
TS9A: Introduction to Structure-Based Drug Design and Development
MONDAY, MAY 4 - TUESDAY, MAY 5
DAY 1: MONDAY
8:30 am - 12:30 pm Seminar Sessions
2:20 - 1:30 Problem Solving Breakout Discussions
4:00 - 5:40 Plenary Keynote Session
5:40 - 7:15 pm Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing
DAY 2: TUESDAY
8:30 am - 5:25 pm Seminar Sessions
12:30 - 1:00 pm Lunch Provided
Exhibit Hall Refreshment Breaks also provided.
Instructors:
Christopher Corbeil, PhD, Research Officer, Human Health Therapeutics, National Research Council Canada
Traian Sulea, PhD, Principal Research Officer, Human Health Therapeutics, National Research Council Canada
CHI’s Introduction to Structure-based Biologics Design and Development offers an introduction to the concepts, strategies and tools of structure-based biologics design, optimization and development. The seminar consists of presentations
and live demonstrations of some of the common computational tools used in the field. We will cover techniques to triage therapeutics sequences, modulate affinity, create novel constructs (such as Fc-fusions, bispecifics, protein traps) along with
increasing the manufacturability of a biologic. The class is directed at scientists new to the industry, academic scientists and career protein engineers wanting an introduction into how structure can aid in guiding experimental design.
Topics to Be Discussed:
- Basics of structural modeling and where does it fit into drug discovey
- Affinity and specificity engineering of biologics
- Engineering bispecific antibodies, fusion proteins and ADCs
- Designing novel pharmacokinetics and immune effector function profiles
- Structure-based developability assessment (folding, chemical and proteolytic stability)
- Structural aspects of protein aggregation and immunogenicity prediction
- Humanization by design
- Engineering pH specificity using molecular modeling; structural aspects of CAR optimization
Instructor Biographies:
Christopher Corbeil, PhD, Research Officer, Human Health Therapeutics, National Research Council Canada
Dr. Christopher Corbeil is a Research Officer at the National Research Council Canada (NRC) who specializes in the development and application of computational tools for biotherapeutic design and optimization. He also teaches classes in Structure-Based
Drug Design at McGill University. After receiving his Ph.D. from McGill University, he joined the NRC as a Research Associate investigating the basics of protein-binding affinity. Following his time at the NRC he joined Chemical Computing
Group as a Research Scientist developing tools for protein design, structure prediction and binding affinity prediction. He then decided to leave private industry and rejoin NRC with a focus on antibody engineering. Dr. Corbeil has authored
25 scientific articles and is the main developer of multiple software programs.
Traian Sulea, PhD, Principal Research Officer, Human Health Therapeutics, National Research Council Canada
Dr. Traian Sulea is a Principal Research Officer who joined the National Research Council Canada as a post-doctoral fellow in 1995. He is also Adjunct Professor at the Institute of Parasitology of McGill University since 2012. Dr. Sulea has broad
expertise in applying computational approaches to the discovery and optimization of bioactive small-molecules and biologics. He has contributed to the development of computational methods for biomolecular applications, focusing on continuum
solvation models and binding-affinity scoring functions. He has applied structural modeling for bioengineering of growth-factor traps and selective tumor targeting, as well as antibody humanization, conjugation, affinity maturation, de novo
design, and developability. Dr. Sulea has authored 95 scientific articles and book chapters and is an inventor on 29 patents issued or pending.
WHAT IS A TRAINING SEMINAR?
Each CHI Training Seminar offers 1.5 days of instruction, refreshment breaks, exhibit hall functions, and lunch for all registered attendees on the full day of the class. Each person registered for the Training Seminar will be
provided with a hard copy handbook for the Training Seminar in which they are registered. A limited number of additional handbooks may be available for other delegates. CHI encourages track hopping between conference programs,
and we ask that Training Seminars not be disturbed once they have begun. We ask that attendees commit to attending the entire 1.5-day training, and not engage in track hopping once the class has started.
