Wertheim UF Scripps Innovation Day
Redefining Drug Discovery: Innovative Approaches to Complex Disease
Join us for a full day of connection and discovery.
Hear from leading voices on emerging technologies, catch rapid-fire tech spotlights, and join an honest lunchtime conversation about careers beyond academia.
Enter our 3-Minute Thesis competition and poster session for a chance to win conference travel awards:
3-Minute Thesis 1st Place: $1,000 | 2nd Place: $500
Poster Session 1st Place: $1,000 | 2nd Place: $500
No travel budget? No problem. We're coming to you!
Apr, 14th 2026, Scripps, FL
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Schedules
8:30 - 9:30 AM
Light Breakfast & Registration
9:30 - 9:40 AM
Welcome & Opening Remarks
9:40 - 10:25 AM
Tales of stress resistance, sirtuins, and sarcoma
David B. Lombard, M.D., Ph.D.
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
10:30 - 10:50 AM
TarSeer™ BRETSA™: Unlocking Target Engagement for Challenging Proteins
Julie Conkright Fincham, Ph.D.
Strategic Collaborations Manager
10:50 - 11:15 AM
Coffee Break
11:15 - 12:00 PM
Innovative longitudinal and multiplexed assays for drug discovery using human neurons for neurodegenerative diseases
Ronald Davis, Ph.D.
University of Florida
12:05 - 12:20 PM
Endogenous Protein Detection with DualTag
Thomas Machleidt, Ph.D.
Director of Research
12:20 - 1:20 PM
Lunch & Learn
Q&A on Careers Beyond Academia
1:20 - 2:05 PM
Harnessing the power of native PPIs with molecular glues
Johanna Virta, Ph.D.
Interim Postdoc
2:05 - 2:45 PM
3-Minute Thesis Competition
1st Place: $1,000 2nd Place: $500
2:45 - 3:25 PM
Coffee Break + Poster Session
1st Place: $1,000 2nd Place: $500
3:25 - 3:45 PM
Addressing Challenges in Cell Biology with the Power of Light
Kevin Kopish
Associate Fellow, Product Discovery & Adoption
3:45 - 4:30 PM
Illuminating the functional components of NR transcriptional complexes = spotlight on the overlooked orphan RORB
Patrick Griffin, Ph.D.
Scientific Director And Professor
4:30 - 5:00 PM
Closing Remarks & Prizes
5:00 PM
Happy Hour
