Program

Joint Prague-Weizmann Summer School on Drug Discovery Program

Sunday, July 30
Time	Session/Lecture info
08:30-09:00	Registration
08:30-09:00
09:00-10:15	Opening remarks
09:00-09:15	Irit Sagi, VP of Technology Transfer, Weizmann Institute of Science
09:15-09:30	Jan Konvalinka, Institute Director, IOCB
09:45-10:00	Avi Domb, Chief Scientist, Israel Ministry of Science and Technology
10:00-10:15	Igor Ulitsky, Director Abisch-Frenkel RNA Therapeutics Center, Weizmann Institute of Science
10:15-11:00	Coffee break
10:15-11:00
11:00-12:30	Session 1: Basic Principles in Drug Discovery Chair: Pavel Matêjka
11:00-11:45	Silvia Carvalho, Weizmann Institute of Science Introduction to Drug Discovery
11:45-12:30	Radim Nencka, IOCB Constitutive androstane receptor agonists and viral methyltransferase inhibitors as case studies for drug design
12:30-13:30	Lunch
12:30-13:30
13:30-15:45	Session 2: Applying Structural Biology for Drug Discovery Chair: Nir London
13:30-14:15	Pavlína Maloy-Rezácová, IOCB Structure-assisted design of enzyme inhibitors
14:15-15:00	Felix F. Vajdos, Pfizer Biophysical approaches for understanding protein-ligand interactions
15:00-15:45	Moran Shalev-Ben Ami, Weizmann Institute of Science Pharmacological targeting of GPCRs: from structure to function
15:45-16:15	Coffee break
15:45-16:15
16:15-18:30	Bina - nurtured innovation session Chair: Sharon Fireman
16:15-17:00	Michal Izrael, Kadimastem Stem cell-based cell therapies for the treatment of ALS and Diabetes: From Bench to Bedside
17:00-17:45	Ronit Bendori, EthosVentures Entrepreneurship- the Bridge between Science and Industry
17:45-18:30	Michal Roll, Tel Aviv University From Ethics to Regulation in Drug Development
18:30-20:00	Cocktail reception
18:30-20:00

Monday, July 31
Time	Session/Lecture info
08:30-09:00	Registration
08:30-09:00
09:00-10:30	Session 3: RNAs as Targets and Therapeutics Chair: Radek Cibulka
09:00-09:45	Raphael Benhamou, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Targeting disease associated RNAs with small molecules
09:45-10:30	Hana Cahová, IOCB Non-canonical RNA caps – from their discovery to their role
10:30-11:00	Coffee break
10:30-11:00
11:00-12:30	Session 4: Targeted Degradation and Covalent Inhibition Chair: Haim Barr
11:00-11:45	Ronen Gabizon, Weizmann Institute of Science New approaches to drug design – covalent inhibition, molecular glues and targeted degradation
11:45-12:30	Daniela Angst, Novartis Discovery of Remibrutinib, a covalent and selective BTK inhibitor
12:30-13:15	Light Lunch
12:30-13:15
13:15-19:00	Tour of Jerusalem
13:15-19:00
19:00-21:00	Dinner (as part of the tour)
19:00-21:00

Tuesday, August 1
Time	Session/Lecture info
08:30-09:00	Registration
08:30-09:00
09:00-10:30	Session 5: Screening and Computer-aided Approaches to Drug Discovery Chair: Michaela Rumlová
09:00-09:45	Iris Alroy, Anima Biotech Illuminating pathways: Decoding Drug Mode of Action with Fluorescent Microscopy
09:45-10:30	Andrea Brancale, UCT Computer-aided drug design in drug discovery
10:30-11:00	Coffee break
10:30-11:00
11:00-13:15	Session 6: Approaches to Drug Delivery Chair: Felix Vajdos
11:00-11:45	Klára Grantz Šašková, IOCB Lipid Nanoparticles in Drug Delivery
11:45-12:30	Pavel Majer, IOCB Prodrugs: Concept and Application in Discovery and Development of Therapeutics
12:30-13:15	Stella Vukelić, Abbvie Reagent and Catalyst Capsules and Tablets: A Chemical Delivery System for Reaction Screening and Parallel Synthesis
13:15-14:30	Lunch
13:15-14:30
14:30-16:45	Session 7: Viral Diseases and Autoimmune Disorders Chair: Pavlína Maloy-Rezácová
14:30-15:15	Ari Waismann, IMB Mainz Using conditional gene targeting to study autoimmunity of the central nervous system
15:15-16:00	Yosef Shaul, Weizmann Institute of Science How the study of transcription regulation of the hepatitis B virus resulted in an effective vaccine production.
16:00-16:45	Michaela Rumlová, UCT From Cause to Cure: Humanity's Dual Responsibility for Emerging Viral Diseases
16:45-19:00	Poster session
16:45-19:00

Wednesday, August 2
Time	Session/Lecture info
08:30-09:00	Registration
08:30-09:00
09:00-11:15	Session 8: Developing Better Ways to Deliver, Discover and Produce Drugs Chair: Ronen Gabizon
09:00-09:45	Shmulik Ben Eliyahu, Neuroderm The development of a new subcutaneous continuous infusion therapy for Parkinson’s disease
09:45-10:30	Stephan Bachmann, Hoffman-La Roche Catalysis as Key Technology for the Synthesis and Scale-up of APIs and Their Intermediates
10:30-11:15	Ed Griffen, Medchemica COVID Moonshot - medicinal chemistry of an Open Science approach to global available new therapeutics to treat COVID-19
11:15-11:45	Coffee break
11:15-11:45
11:45-13:15	Session 9: Understanding Mechanisms of Cancer Resistance Chair: Klára Grantz Šašková
11:45-12:30	Ravid Straussman, Weizmann Institute of Science The tumor micro(b)environment and its effects on the response to therapy
12:30-13:15	Ofer Shoshani, Weizmann Institute of Science The role of gene amplification in cancer therapy resistance
13:15-14:30	Lunch
13:15-14:30
14:30-16:45	Session 10: Understanding Cellular Processes for the Discovery and Optimization of Therapeutics Chair: Cedric Graebin
14:30-15:15	Ariel Bensimon, Solgate Targeting Solute Carriers - Developing the drug discovery technology platform
15:15-16:00	Ofra Benny, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Three-dimensional cell models and bioengineering approaches for drug discovery in cancer
16:00-16:45	Frantisek Stêpánek, UCT Formulation approaches for bioavailability enhancement of poorly soluble drugs

Thursday, August 3
Time	Session/Lecture info
08:30-09:00	Registration
08:30-09:00
09:00-11:15	Session 11: Drug Discovery for Infectious and Chronic Diseases Chair: Ariel Bensimon
09:00-09:45	Micha Fridman, Tel Aviv University Chemical Probes Reveal Mechanisms of Action of Antifungal Drugs and Guide Modifications to Improve Performance
09:45-10:30	Cedric Graebin, University of Dundee Drug Discovery for Neglected Tropical Diseases
10:30-11:15	Karl Skorecki, Bar-Ilan University Genomically Precise Population Based Drug Discovery for Chronic Kidney Disease
11:15-11:45	Closing remarks and end of Summer School
11:15-11:30	Michal Dvořák, First Secretary, Culture, Press and Education, Embassy of the Czech Republic Closing remarks

Registration deadline
June 15th, 2023

Organizing committee

Jakub Abramson, Weizmann Institute of Science | Israel
Haim Barr, Weizmann Institute of Science | Israel
Radek Cibulka, University of Chemistry and Technology | Prague
Martin Fusek, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry | Prague
Ronen Gabizon, Weizmann Institute of Science | Israel
Nir London, Weizmann Institute of Science | Israel
Petra Menová, University of Chemistry and Technology | Prague