Laura Silvian
Senior Director Biogen
Dr. Laura Silvian leads the innovative Physical Biochemistry and Molecular Design group within the Synthetic Medicinal Design department at Biogen. We use structure-based, rational drug design and biophysical assessments to enable improvement of potency, selectivity or developability of therapeutics. We influence decisions of program teams through designing biologics and small molecule modalities using cutting-edge techniques in structural biology, biophysical methods, and protein science.
We have also embraced several new technologies including:
assembly of recombinant protein complexes including membrane proteins and RNA complexes,
compound binding to membrane proteins,
CryoEM, NMR and X-ray Crystallography,
and molecular design strategies for improved biologics efficacy and developability.
Laura is an inventor or coauthor on more than 40 publications and patents on protein and RNA targets.
Seminars
Rational design of molecular glues is more complex than traditional drug discovery, requiring stabilization of ternary complexes where binary binding can be weak. Limited structural data and current AI tools constrain predictive power, so most glues are still discovered empirically through cereblon-based libraries. This workshop will explore strategies to overcome these challenges, integrating computational predictions with experimental validation, improving ternary complex modelling, and expanding discovery beyond known E3 ligases.
Join this session to:
- Navigate the three-body problem and data gaps by leveraging ternary complex stabilization highlights the complexity of rational glue design and enables the identification of truly predictive design principles
- Overcome computational and AI limitations by applying advanced modeling toternary complex energetics and cooperativity allows researchers to prioritize compounds more efficiently and reduce wasted experimental effort
- Transform screening versus rational design by shifting from empirical approaches toward predictive platforms unlocks the potential to explore new E3 ligases and expand chemical space, accelerating the discovery of first-in-class molecular glues
This workshop is perfect for teams seeking practical insights into overcoming data gaps, optimizing ternary complexes, and expanding their experimental toolkit for novel molecular glues.
