ELRIG Announces Drs Jue Wang and Robert Grundy as Keynote Speakers at Research & Innovation 2025

24 January 2025 -- Cambridge, UK -- The European Laboratory Research & Innovation Group (ELRIG), a not-for-profit, volunteer-led organisation for the drug discovery community, today announced the keynote speakers for Research & Innovation 2025. Dr Jue Wang, Research Scientist and Co-lead of the Protein Design Team at Google DeepMind, and Dr Robert Grundy, CEO of Intelligent OMICS, will lead this year’s event focussed on ‘Big molecules to big data…thinking BIG to drive innovative research’.

ELRIG Research & Innovation 2025 takes place from 10–11 March at The Royal Society of Medicine in London, UK. The free-to-attend event will bring together scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs from across the drug discovery community working on proteins, RNA, cell and gene therapies, PROTACs, as well as the application of big data to support target identification, biomarkers and the development of big molecules.

The two-day event will include sessions on: Big technology for big molecules, focussed on new and innovative technologies that are used for drug discovery and development of biotherapeutic drugs; Big molecules for big problems, exploring the innovative potential of large molecules in treating diseases and the hurdles in their development; and Big data for big insights: transforming research, which will examine how big data and AI are advancing our ability to target complex diseases. The conference also comprises poster presentations, networking sessions and a vendor exhibition, including the ELRIG Breakthrough Zone for early-stage companies. There are award opportunities available for young companies and early-career professionals too.

Dr Jue Wang is a computational biologist, whose research interests are centred around protein engineering, deep learning, synthetic biology and sustainability. He is currently working at the intersection of machine learning and protein design in his role as Research Scientist and Co-lead of the Protein Design Team at Google DeepMind, where his goal is to develop tools to create proteins with novel, useful functions. Previously, he was a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Washington, where he developed deep learning tools for de novo protein design with Nobel Laureate, Dr David Baker. He also pursued another post-doc project engineering a CO2-utilising metabolic pathway in bacteria. Prior to this, Dr Wang worked at Ginkgo Bioworks developing tools for computational enzyme discovery. He holds a PhD from Harvard Medical School, where his research focussed the genetics and systems biology of cellular decision-making. Dr Wang will present ‘From rocks to picomolar binders: a short history of computational protein design in therapeutics’ during his keynote address.

Dr Robert Grundy MBE has spent over 25 years in Pharma and Biotech beginning in drug discovery and development at Schering-Plough and GlaxoSmithKline. Dr Grundy served as CSO with Cerebricon before joining Almac Discovery in 2008. In 2014, Rob founded Anglezarke Life Sciences, a commercialisation and growth strategy consultancy. He has served as CEO of CIGA Healthcare and Health Innovation Research Alliance Northern Ireland. He has held or holds visiting and honorary lectureships at King’s College London and Queen’s University Belfast. Dr Grundy formally chaired Matrix, the Science and Technology policy panel for the Northern Ireland Government and represented Northern Ireland on the Chief Scientific Advisors Network for the UK. He currently serves as CEO at Intelligent OMICS Ltd, an AI-driven drug discovery company. Dr Grundy’s keynote presentation will focus on ‘Exploiting big data to drive drug discovery through AI and collaboration’.

Roger Clark, Conference Director, ELRIG and Head of High Throughput Screening, Charles River Laboratories, said: “This year’s event promises an exciting itinerary packed with presentations covering emerging technologies and innovative research. There will also be several networking sessions and a vendor exhibition, providing the perfect opportunity to learn, connect and collaborate with scientists from across the drug discovery community working on big molecules and big data.”

Sarah Brockbank, Conference Director, ELRIG and Strategy Leader—Complex Medicines, Medicines Discovery Catapult, said: “Drs Wang and Grundy have led distinguished careers in academia and industry, and we are thrilled to have them join us at this year’s Research & Innovation. We very much look forward to them sharing their perspectives and insights on ‘thinking big to drive innovative research’ during the keynote presentations.”

Dr Jue Wang, Research Scientist and Co-lead of the Protein Design Team, Google DeepMind, said: “ELRIG provides a fantastic platform to connect and share ideas with fellow innovators dedicated to advancing our understanding of machine learning, big molecules and data. Research & Innovation 2025 promises a fantastic line up of talks and I’m proud to be invited to open this year’s event.”

Dr Robert Grundy, CEO, Intelligent OMICS, said: “I have a passion for converting the potential of valuable scientific invention into commercially viable innovation, so I am thrilled at the opportunity to give a keynote presentation at this year’s conference and connect with like-minded scientists from pharma, biotech and academia, including early-career professionals.”

For further information about Research and Innovation 2025, please visit: https://elrig.org/portfolio/research-innovation-2025-big-molecules-to-big-data-thinking-big-to-drive-innovative-research/

About ELRIG
Since incorporation in 2004, ELRIG has consolidated its reputation as a best in industry UK-based not-for-profit volunteer-led organisation, operated by and for the life sciences community, and dedicated to the delivery of leading-edge scientific meetings and conferences on an open-access basis for optimum accessibility across all levels of its 22,000-strong global community. The Board delegates its tasks to a series of Work Groups, who work with the ELRIG team to ensure it achieves its objectives. ELRIG continuously strives to advance its ED&I and sustainability strategic pillars, to both inspire and align with the ESG strategies of its delegates, exhibitors, sponsors and all other stakeholders. For more information, visit: https://elrig.org.