• Prof Heather Pinkett and Dr Dafydd Owen to lead ELRIG’s flagship event
• Drug Discovery returns to Liverpool, 21–22 October 2025 to celebrate “A Festival of Life Science”
• Event supported by VisitBritain showcases UK life science sector and extends international reach

ELRIG, a not-for-profit, volunteer-led organisation dedicated to the global drug discovery community, has revealed the keynote speakers for its flagship event, Drug Discovery 2025. Taking place at the ACC in Liverpool, UK from 21–22 October, the conference will feature presentations from Professor Heather Pinkett (Northwestern University) and Dr Dafydd Owen (Pfizer Medicine Design).

Held under the theme “A Festival of Life Science”, Drug Discovery 2025 is a celebration that aims to unite scientists from industry and academia working toward the same goal: improving human health through more effective drug discovery. The event offers free access to over 150 talks across 14 scientific tracks, covering topics such as advances in robotics and automation, advanced models for drug discovery, hit-finding approaches in neurodegenerative disease therapeutics, chemical biology and omics, translating ideas into therapies, as well as sustainable drug development. ELRIG is also collaborating with organisations including SLAS, the British Pharmacological Society, the Royal Society of Chemistry, Cancer Research Horizons, The Protein Society, SiLA and Alzheimer’s Research UK to bring a broad range of content. To further its international outreach, ELRIG has partnered with VisitBritain to provide the opportunity for global drug discovery researchers to experience the UK life science sector first-hand and contribute their perspectives to the conversation.

The conference will host 200+ exhibitors, a “Breakthrough Zone” for startups, a Tech Theatre, and dedicated events for early-career professionals (ECPs), including “Network Like a Boss” and “Meet & Greet” sessions. Awards will also recognise innovation, rising stars from the ECP community, and individuals who have made outstanding contributions to both ELRIG and the drug discovery field.

Prof Heather Pinkett leads research at Northwestern University into the structure, function, and regulation of membrane proteins with a particular emphasis on ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, proteins that use ATP hydrolysis to transport substrates across cellular membranes. She is also the Director of the NIH Molecular Biophysics Training Program at Northwestern, a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Molecular Biology, and President-Elect of The Protein Society. Prof Pinkett will present “Targeting ABC Transporters: Structural Prediction and Computational Strategies Against AMR” on the first day.

Prof Heather Pinkett, Associate Professor, Department of Molecular Biosciences at Northwestern University, commented: “I’m excited to engage with scientists from across academia and industry and to deliver the opening keynote at Drug Discovery 2025.” 

Dr Dafydd Owen is a Senior Scientific Director at Pfizer with 25 years’ experience in medicinal chemistry. He has delivered over 150 invited lectures, is an author on over 80 research papers and patents, and has received several innovation and leadership awards. He serves as a Structural Genomics Consortium board member and was on the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry editorial advisory board until 2022. Dr Owen will discuss “Drug Discovery During the Pandemic: The Discovery of PAXLOVID” during his presentation on the second day.

Dr Dafydd Owen, Senior Scientific Director at Pfizer Medicine Design, added: “It’s an honour to share the science behind PAXLOVID and to celebrate global innovation in drug discovery at ELRIG’s flagship event.”

Dr Del Trezise, Chair of ELRIG, and Strategy Development, Laboratory Products and Services at Sartorius, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Prof Pinkett and Dr Owen to Drug Discovery 2025. With over 3,000 delegates expected, this promises to be Europe’s leading event for the drug discovery community.”

Sanj Kumar, CEO of ELRIG, added: “ELRIG’s partnership with VisitBritain underscores the importance of international collaboration in accelerating scientific and economic progress.”

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 drug discovery 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.