About the EIDD

Founded in 2008, the EIDD was constructed to complement the substantial track record of antiviral research at Emory University with the tools, expertise, and capabilities necessary to optimize and advance new generations of active leads through pre-clinical development and IND submission.

Industrially Seasoned Expertise.

Representing over 100 years of combined industry experience at management levels, EIDD scientists provide post-doctoral fellows with expertise and insight into drug development that is unique among academic options. EIDD also collaborates closely with many of today’s top academic virologists, providing post-doctoral fellows with a multidisciplinary experience necessary to pursue drug development in industrial, academic, or government settings.

Drug Design and Optimization.

EIDD has long-standing relationships with some of the top laboratories in virology. This provides us with the ability to rapidly interrogate the efficacy and mechanism of action profile of new compounds across numerous viral families and mechanistic points of intervention. This provides post-doctoral associates with exposure to world-class science while developing solutions to real-world viral threats.

Scale-up and Process Chemistry.

Under the leadership of Manohar Saindane (Formerly Dir. of Process Research, Celgene Corp), EIDD has established the capability to conduct scale-up, process, and CMC research to provide drug substance for advanced studies. This group developed the synthetic process in-house at 1 kg scale for Molnupiravir that was transferred to a contracted pilot plant for cGMP manufacturing. On-going advanced programs offer talented synthetic chemists a valuable opportunity to focus on process and CMC related projects.

Drug Metabolism, Pharmacokinetics, and Distribution.

Appreciating the key role that cellular and in vivo pharmacology plays in the effectiveness of any therapy, EIDD has assembled state-of-the-art facilities and management expertise to provide rapid drug metabolism, PK, and distribution data in cells and multiple species to guide the design and advancement of new drug candidates. Medicinal chemists are provided with rapid assessments of chemical, plasma, and cellular stability to determine the impact of specific modifications and guide further drug design. In-house pharmacokinetic and distribution studies then provide data that is critical for the design of meaningful animal efficacy studies. Surrounded by multidisciplinary colleagues and collaborators, EIDD chemists complement their day-to-day synthetic work with direct exposure to the pharmacologic assessments that are at the foundation of state-of-the art drug development programs.

In Vitro and In Vivo Toxicology.

Many drug candidates fail in development due to unacceptable toxicology profiles. The EIDD is unique among academic institutions and has established capabilities and protocols to assess active compounds at very early stages of the development process to quickly eliminate those with toxicity and genotoxicity concerns that could threaten their ability to advance into clinical testing. This data also provides structural insights that are critical to the design of drug candidates that minimize adverse side-effects.

Valuable Experience for Multiple Career Paths:

Industrial Drug Discovery / Drug Development – The pharmaceutical and biotech industry is highly competitive and highly rewarding for those suitably focused and prepared to seize the opportunities they offer. A post-doctoral experience will provide an opportunity to sharpen and advance synthetic skills while providing a broad foundation of the pharmacologic data and interfaces that are essential for the design of successful drug candidates and advancement through the critical testing cascades associated with preclinical development. An EIDD post-doc will therefore be positioned with a first-hand insight into the requirements of specific industrial career paths and have tangible experience in drug development to present in an interview process and a knowledge base to speak credibly to the multidisciplinary aspects involved. Once hired, the drug development skills acquired at EIDD will provide the person with unique skills that will allow them to make rapid progress and set themselves apart in the early stages of career development.

Academic Chemical Biology / Synthesis and Drug Discovery – The academic synthetic community has in recent years been increasingly moving toward applied research such as chemical biology and drug design. Success in this environment requires not only strong synthetic skills, but also a broad understanding of the many disciplines that play key roles in the identification of compelling chemical interventions and therapies. The day-to-day program objectives at EIDD will provide post-doctoral fellows with continued development of synthetic skills through daily synthesis of promising new antivirals, immersion in the numerous disciplines that play key roles in drug development, and opportunities to publish in high impact journals (see publications list). Once independent, the skills and insights gained at EIDD will provide researchers with a uniquely broad skill set that will enable them to establish cutting-edge chemical biology programs capable of having tangible impacts on human health. It will also provide them with unique insights that will be reflected in grant proposals that stand- out as uniquely credible to reviewers.

To Learn More . . .

The Emory Institute for Drug Development welcomes applications and inquiries about post-doctoral positions from scientists with strong synthetic skills and a strong desire to apply those skills to the identification and development of the next generation of antiviral therapy. We offer a unique multidisciplinary research experience in state-of the art facilities that stands at the interface of academia and industry and offers the opportunity to make a tangible impact on human health. We look forward to hearing from you and would be delighted to tell you more in the context of an informal discussion.