From Discovery to Delivery

From Discovery to Delivery

Round table sessions in the morning gave attendees an opportunity to discuss important topics in academia in an interactive setting. Moderated by subject matter experts, table topics included  women in science, drug development, grant writing, and commercialization and  intellectual property.

A featured panel, “Translating Discovery: Patent, Partnership, and Pathway to Market,” explored the journey from academic research to real-world application. The discussion brought together entrepreneurs and investors offering perspectives from venture, biotech and legal sectors. Together, they emphasized a clear throughline: translation starts early.

Panelists highlighted the growing role of academic institutions in driving foundational research, along with the importance of early engagement with tech transfer offices, strategic patent protection and building the right partnerships from the outset. They also spoke to the challenges of pitching scientific ideas to investors, the need for stronger storytelling and the growing role of artificial intelligence in drug development and regulatory pathways.

The afternoon keynote session, “Innovation in Drug Development: Case Study of Lenacapavir for HIV Prevention,” explored a different but equally critical question: who benefits from those discoveries and how? Moupali Das, MD, vice president of clinical development and head of HIV prevention at Gilead Sciences, highlighted the development of a long-acting therapy designed not only for clinical effectiveness but for global access.

Her work emphasized that scientific breakthroughs alone are not enough. They must be paired with intentional design, inclusive clinical trials and strong community partnerships from the outset.

“Innovation without intention can unwittingly exacerbate disparities,” Das noted, underscoring the importance of engaging communities most affected by disease throughout the research process.

The conference concluded with an inspiring keynote address by Reshma Kewalramani, MD, chief executive officer and president of Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Kewalramani shared insights into the challenges and rewards of drug discovery, emphasizing that innovation requires perseverance, collaboration, and a willingness to embrace failure as part of the process. She highlighted Vertex’s commitment to tackling some of the most difficult diseases through approaches grounded in causal human biology, including advances in gene therapy and targeted treatments. Reflecting on her own journey from nephrologist and academic physician to biotech executive, she encouraged attendees to step outside their comfort zones, show up and be present in their work environments, and recognize that meaningful breakthroughs are never achieved alone. Her message underscored the importance of resilience, teamwork and continuous innovation in advancing both science and personal growth.

Additional sessions highlighted advances in immune modulation, aging pathways and personalized health technologies, reflecting how research across disciplines is converging to improve patient care.

Student Research in Action

For many School of Medicine students, Research Day is a chance to showcase work they have been part of, as they gain hands-on experience and work alongside faculty to move research forward.

During the poster showcase, students and junior investigators of all levels presented work ranging from expanding access to cervical cancer screenings to identifying genetic drivers of liver disease outcomes. Others explored how imaging can improve diagnosis, how structural changes may contribute to gastrointestinal conditions and how machine learning can better characterize tumors. Several projects focused on chronic conditions, including long COVID and inflammatory disease, reflecting growing interest in how the immune system shapes health and disease.

Claire Engstrom, a third-year graduate student in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program working with Catriona Jamieson, MD, PhD, professor  and chief of the Division of Regenerative Medicine, presented work on the role of inflammation in Parkinson’s disease. Her research examines how inflammatory environments affect blood stem cell health and activate enzymes that may contribute to disease-related changes.

“We see a lot more inflammatory cell states in Parkinson’s disease blood when compared to control samples,” Engstrom said. “This supports the hypothesis that Parkinson’s disease is an inflammation-driven disease.”

That insight could help shift how the disease is treated.

“It gives us new targets and opportunities to repurpose drugs meant for mitigating inflammation, with the goal of intervening earlier before the disease progresses” she said.

Ashley Molina, a third-year undergraduate student majoring in general biology and working with  Paul J. Kim, MD, associate professor in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, presented research focused on improving the diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease that affects heart tissue.

She noted that the current standard diagnostic tool can produce false positives, potentially leading to repeated scans, unnecessary radiation exposure and inappropriate treatment.

In her work, Molina tested whether supplementing the standard dietary protocol with specific oils could improve accuracy. The results were striking: false positive rates dropped from 18.3% to 4%.

“The whole point of this protocol is to make that percentage zero,” Molina said. “We don’t want people wrongly given medication they don’t need.”

A Growing Tradition

The day concluded with recognition of outstanding research presentations across three categories. Jessica Pham, Alexander Tong and Michael Lam were named winners in basic, clinical and translational science, with Daniel Shimoni, Carlos Nemeh and Liz Timple recognized as runners-up.

As Research Day continues to grow in scope and participation, it has become a cornerstone of the academic calendar for the Department of Medicine, one that reflects not only the strength of UC San Diego’s research enterprise, but also the people behind it.

Learn more about Research Day and view the full agenda on the Department of Medicine website.

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