Discovery's B4 Tour

Opening Remarks

Greg Herrema, CEO, Discovery Life Sciences

Keynote Presentation

From data exhaust to disease prediction.

Presented by: Oliver Burren, Centre for Genomics Research, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK

Advances in large-scale genomics and proteomics are reshaping drug target discovery and enabling early, decision-critical genomic biomarkers. Within AstraZeneca’s Centre for Genomics Research, we leverage biobank-scale genome sequencing and high-throughput proteomics to prioritise tractable targets with enhanced confidence.

Using examples, I will describe how we can use the “data exhaust” from sequencing to generate novel discovery biomarkers and how these can be used to provide insights across the pipeline. I will share how genetic associations converge with proteomic profiling to strengthen target validation, and de-risk pipeline investments. This will include a discussion of MILTON our AI capability designed to interrogate biomarkers on the biobank-scale data to predict disease before diagnosis. I’ll discuss current limitations and emerging solutions that bridge discovery and clinical application.

Finally, I’ll explore how AI is transforming our analytic workflows from foundational models predicting variant function to empowering access to our multi-omics data across the business to accelerate the journey from analysis to actionable insight.

Expert Session

Speaker to be announced soon

Proteogenomic Insights

Don Skifter, SVP Scientific Affairs, Discovery Life Sciences

Unlocking Spatial Biology: The Role of Tissue AI in Biomarker Discovery and CDx Development

Presented by: Patrick Frey, VP of Precision Medicine, Mindpeak

In my presentation, I’ll discuss the evolving role of tissue-based AI in supporting biomarker discovery and companion diagnostic (CDx) development. The talk will highlight how frontier AI models can add value across key stages of the development process – from early translational research to clinical trial execution.

The presentation will outline how AI enables systematic extraction of spatial and cellular features from histopathology data (H&E, IHC, mIF), supporting the identification of novel biomarker candidates and improving the reproducibility of established assays. Particular emphasis will be placed on areas where AI provides tangible benefits, including increased data consistency across sites and improved handling of heterogeneous tissue biology.

Drawing on selected examples, including applications in ADC biomarker development, the talk will illustrate how these approaches can inform patient stratification strategies and contribute to more robust clinical studies. Overall, the session will provide a practical perspective on how tissue AI can be integrated into Pharma/CRO workflows to support biomarker-driven drug development.

A Four-Year Journey Adapting In-House Testing Under IVDR

T. Scott Reid, VP and Global Head of Companion Diagnostics, Discovery Life Sciences

Panel Discussion

Patrick Frey, VP of Precision Medicine, Mindpeak

Sarah Holt, VP Translational Sciences, Mosaic TX

Sara Busacca Principal Scientist – Translational Science Lead, Artios

Closing Insights

Greg Herrema, CEO, Discovery Life Sciences

Optional Breakout Session: Deep Dive Discussions

Don Skifter, T. Scott Reid, Anna Juncker-Jensen, Jon Beck, Tony Lovegrove Discovery Life Sciences

Keynote Speaker
Oliver Burren
Senior Director of Genome Analytics, AstraZeneca

Oliver is Senior Director of Genome Analytics within the Centre for Genomics Research (CGR) at AstraZeneca, leading a team that integrates large-scale proteomics, genomics, and machine learning to support drug development. Prior to joining AZ, he was Director of Genome Informatics within the Department of Medicine at the University of Cambridge. He holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge and has over 20 years of experience in the field of human genetics and genomics.

Patrick Frey
Vice President of Precision Medicine, Mindpeak

Patrick is VP of Precision Medicine at Mindpeak, where he leads the scientific and medical strategy for AI-powered solutions in pathology, with a strong focus on pharma partnerships, translational research, and companion diagnostics (CDx). Since joining Mindpeak, he has worked across pathology data, scientific affairs, and medical leadership, now driving the development of clinically relevant biomarkers for drug development and patient stratification.
He completed his PhD at the University of Freiburg (Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine), studying tissue dynamics in cancer metastasis, followed by postdoctoral research. Patrick’s work is centered on translating cutting-edge science into scalable, clinically actionable solutions—enabling better trial design, more precise therapies, and ultimately improved outcomes for patients.