Introduction
Building GPCR research programs that achieve both fundamental discovery and clinical translation requires strategic thinking from day one.
This session addresses the structural and strategic decisions that determine whether breakthrough science reaches patients: securing funding aligned with translational potential, defining research directions that balance risk and impact, identifying discoveries worth pursuing to clinical endpoints, and navigating the pathway from academic research to drug development and spin-out companies.
Andrew Tobin draws from his experience leading translational GPCR programs and co-founding Keltic Pharma to illustrate each strategic element. Intended for GPCR scientists, postdocs, and research leaders planning translational research programs.
Instructor
Andrew Tobin directs translational GPCR research focused on generating new medicines for brain disorders, severe asthma, and inflammatory gut disease. As co-founder and CEO of Keltic Pharma Therapeutics, he leads a biotechnology company developing a novel drug-discovery platform and working toward a radical cure for malaria.
He also serves as Director of the Advanced Research Centre at the University of Glasgow, a £130M collaborative initiative housing over 550 researchers designed to redefine interdisciplinary research. His recent work on muscarinic acetylcholine receptor modulation and structure-guided design of M1 receptor agonists exemplifies the strategic approach to translational GPCR science that defines this Masterclass session.
