ELRIG Announces Keynote Speakers for Therapeutic Oligonucleotides 2025 at AstraZeneca R&D Site in Gothenburg
ELRIG, a non-profit organization dedicated to the drug discovery community, has unveiled the keynote speakers for Therapeutic Oligonucleotides 2025, scheduled for May 14–15 at AstraZeneca’s R&D facility in Gothenburg, Sweden. This year’s event, themed “Drugging the Undruggable,” will be led by Prof. Rory Johnson, Associate Professor at University College Dublin, and Dr. Shalini Andersson, Vice President of Nucleic Acid Therapeutics at AstraZeneca.
Following the success of its inaugural event, this second ELRIG conference on Therapeutic Oligonucleotides will bring together experts from academia, industry, and the wider drug discovery community. The discussions will center on the discovery, validation, and targeting of oligonucleotide-based therapeutics, including antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and small interfering RNA (siRNA). Attendees will explore the characteristics of drug targets suitable for oligonucleotide modulation, compare their advantages and limitations with other drug classes, and review advancements in targeted delivery strategies to enhance safety and efficacy.
Beyond scientific discussions, the event will feature poster presentations, networking sessions, a vendor exhibition, and a tour of AstraZeneca’s R&D center. A special poster award will recognize early-career professionals contributing to cutting-edge drug discovery research.
Keynote Speakers and Their Contributions
Prof. Rory Johnson – Advancing lncRNA Therapeutics in Oncology
Prof. Rory Johnson, an Associate Professor at University College Dublin, specializes in understanding the role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in human health and disease. His research combines bioinformatics and experimental techniques to uncover novel therapeutic targets. Previously, he contributed to the GENCODE consortium, establishing key lncRNA gene annotations. His work with CRISPR-Cas and cancer-driver methods has led to the identification of oncogenic lncRNAs as potential therapeutic targets.
During his keynote presentation on day one, Prof. Johnson will discuss “Genomics-powered lncRNA therapeutics for oncology,” providing insights into how genomic research can drive the development of new cancer therapies.
Dr. Shalini Andersson – Expanding Target Space with Nucleic Acid Therapeutics
Dr. Shalini Andersson, Vice President of Nucleic Acid Therapeutics at AstraZeneca, leads groundbreaking research in nucleic acid and protein therapeutics. With extensive experience in drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics, and medicinal chemistry, she has played a pivotal role in AstraZeneca’s collaborations with Ionis Pharma, Silence Therapeutics, and JCR Pharmaceuticals. She also serves on the boards of the Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society and OligoNova.
On day two, Dr. Andersson will present “Developing nucleic acids into therapeutics and enabling expansion of target space using targeted delivery,” highlighting strategies for improving drug delivery and broadening the applicability of nucleic acid-based therapies.
Driving Collaboration in Oligonucleotide Drug Discovery
Dr. Fredrik Edfeldt, Conference Director at ELRIG and Director of Mechanistic & Structural Biology at AstraZeneca, emphasized the importance of this event in accelerating clinical success for oligonucleotide-based drugs:
“Oligonucleotide therapies, including ASOs and siRNAs, are already transforming patient outcomes. Our goal is to establish an open-access platform that fosters collaboration among biologists and chemists across disciplines. The insights shared at this conference will help drive these innovative therapies toward clinical applications.”
Dr. Shalini Andersson echoed this sentiment, stating:
“I am honored to speak at Therapeutic Oligonucleotides 2025. Collaboration is crucial in advancing this novel field, and dedicated forums like this are invaluable in accelerating the development of targeted oligonucleotide therapies.”
With its diverse lineup of renowned speakers, interactive sessions, and cutting-edge research, Therapeutic Oligonucleotides 2025 is set to be a landmark event in the field of nucleic acid therapeutics.
