News & Events
News & Events
[Education] 2026 Training Course - Mastering the Art of Drug Discovery: Technologies, Tools, and Applications
2026-04-13
[Institut Pasteur Korea 2026 Signature Training Course]
Mastering the Art of Drug Discovery:
Technologies, Tools and Applications
Technologies, Tools and Applications
Institut Pasteur Korea (IPK), in collaboration with the Pasteur Network (PN), is pleased to announce the 2026 Signature Training Course, "Mastering the Art of Drug Discovery: Technologies, Tools, and Applications". This intensive program is designed for researchers, scientists, and engineers across biology, chemistry, and data science who are eager to bridge the gap between basic research and therapeutic innovation. Participants will gain hands-on experience in the complete drug discovery pipeline, from target identification and 3D cellular model development to high-content screening (HCS) and AI-driven data analysis.
Whether you are a newcomer to the field or a seasoned professional looking to integrate cutting-edge tools like chemo informatics and machine learning into your workflow, this course offers a unique platform equipping participants with applicable tools and insights that could be directly implemented in their own work environments. Join a global network of experts and transform your research into impactful therapeutic solutions.
Whether you are a newcomer to the field or a seasoned professional looking to integrate cutting-edge tools like chemo informatics and machine learning into your workflow, this course offers a unique platform equipping participants with applicable tools and insights that could be directly implemented in their own work environments. Join a global network of experts and transform your research into impactful therapeutic solutions.
1. Course Period
● August 24(Mon) ~ August 28(Fri), 2026
● Venue: Institut Pasteur Korea, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
2. Course Content
● Assay Engineering: Design and optimize robust, high-performance 3D and phenotypic cell-based assays.
● Next-Gen Screening: Master automated high-content screening (HCS) using state-of-the-art robotic microscopy and liquid handling systems.
● Computational Innovation: Integrate bioinformatics, chemo informatics, and machine learning to accelerate hit-to-lead optimization and virtual screening
3. Who?
● A total of 20 participants will be selected
※ A minimum of 10 spots reserved for Pasteur Network members
● The course is open to: Researchers or advanced students progressing from scientific discovery to drug development, especially those seeking to adopt advanced drug discovery technologies, such as High Content Screening (HCS) and AI-driven and computational tools (bioinformatics, chemo informatics, machine learning), and to implement screening capacity in their research center, optimize phenotypic assays, perform image mining and multi-parametric data analysis.
● Minimum Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field
4. Application Categories & Deadline
Applicants may apply through one of the following two categories:
● Pasteur Network Applicants (PN members)
▷ Deadline: May 22, 2026 (12:00PM, KST) | Results: June 10, 2026
● General Applicants (Open to All)
▷ Deadline: June 12, 2026 (12:00PM, KST) | Results: June 30, 2026
▷ Deadline: June 12, 2026 (12:00PM, KST) | Results: June 30, 2026
※ PN members are also welcome to apply as General Applicants
5. Submission
● Application Submission: Download the application form and send it by email to ipk-course@ip-korea.org
● Inquiries: ipk-course@ip-korea.org / 031-8018-8049
6. Teaching Team
● The course will be delivered by a panel of experts composed of:
Organizers from Institut Pasteur Korea, Montevideo & Lille
- David Shum (Head of Screening Platform, Institut Pasteur Korea)
- Dr. Inhee Choi (Head of AI Drug Discovery Lab, Institut Pasteur Korea)
- Dr. Marcelo Comini (Head of the Laboratory of Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur of Montevideo)
- Prof. Nicolas Willand (Professor, University of Lille & Institut Pasteur Lille)
● Invited speakers from the Pasteur Network and beyond
● Application scientists from global companies
7. Costs & Support
● Registration: Free (includes daily lunch)
● Support for Pasteur Network Applicants: Travel expenses and accommodation fees will be supported for PN members selected through the PN Application Call
※ PN applicants who have not been selected to receive travel support from Institut Pasteur Korea through the PN Application Call, are welcome to re-apply
as a General applicant.
Daily Program
| (Day 1) Monday August 24th - Introduction to Drug Discovery: From Target to Assay Development | ||
| Time | Content | Speaker |
| 9:00-9:20 | Opening Remarks & Commemorative Photo | IPK CEO & Organizing Committee |
| 9:20-10:00 | Safety Training & Roundtable of participants | |
| 10:00-10:40 | Introduction to Drug Discovery The drug discovery pipeline: From target identification to clinical trials, Key challenges and strategies in early drug discovery | David Shum (IPK) |
| 10:40-11:20 | Production of reproducible cell material and quality assessment | David Shum (IPK) |
| 11:20-12:00 | Assay development and optimization for cell based assay | David Shum (IPK) |
| 12:00-13:00 | Lunch | |
| 13:00-14:30 | Assay development and functional genomics | David Shum (IPK) |
| 14:30-17:00 | Practical training: Assay development, cell culture and screening | Screening Platform Lab |
| (Day 2) Tuesday August 25th - Advanced Screening Technologies and Automation for Drug Discovery | ||
| Time | Content | Speaker |
| 9:00-10:00 | Advanced screening technologies morphological profiling and translational assay systems | David Shum (IPK) |
| 10:00-11:00 | Adult stem cell-based organoids for new drug screening, and diagnostics | Bonkyoung Koo (IBS) |
| 11:00-12:00 | Overview on available HCS instrumentation | Revvity |
| 12:00-13:00 | Lunch | |
| 13:00-14:30 | Practical training: HCS instrumentation technologies | Screening Platform Lab |
| 13:00-14:30 | Sample management and automation | Honggun Lee (IPK) |
| 14:30-16:30 | Practical training: Liquid handling and automation | Screening Platform Lab |
| 16:30-17:00 | Group project preparation | Teaching team |
| (Day 3) Wednesday August 26th - Image Processing and Hit-to-Lead Optimization | ||
| Time | Content | Speaker |
| 9:00-10:30 | Lecture: Overview of image analysis using Harmony software Practical training: Using Software for image analysis |
Revvity |
| 10:30-12:00 | Chemistry for biologists & chemical diversity used for screening | Nicolas Willand (IP Lille) |
| 12:00-13:00 | Lunch | |
| 13:00-14:30 | Hit to lead optimization, target identification and HCS vs target-based assay, | Nicolas Willand (IP Lille) |
| 14:30-16:30 | Natural product approaches applied to drug discovery against infectious organism | Marcelo Comini (IP Montevideo) |
| 16:30-17:30 | Group project preparation (Starts Analysis of Day 1 practical training results) | Teaching Team |
| (Day 4) Thursday August 27th - Innovative Tools for Drug Discovery: Leveraging Bioinformatics and AI | ||
| Time | Content | Speaker |
| 9:00-10:30 | Transcriptomics in infectious diseases: From gene expression to drug targets (Demonstration) | Luisa Berna (IP Montevideo) |
| 10:30-12:00 | Metagenome based understanding and exploiting Resistance Genes for new drug targets (Demonstration) | Antibacterial Resistance Lab (IPK) |
| 12:00-13:00 | Lunch | |
| 13:00-15:00 | Managing and Mining Chemical and Assay Data Practical training: Practical Cheminformatics - Data Curation, Visualization, and Virtual Screening |
Inhee Choi (IPK) |
| 15:00-17:00 | Artificial Intelligence for Ligand-based Drug Discovery (Demonstration) | Emna Harigua (IP Tunis) |
| 17:00-18:00 | Group project preparation (Apply computational tools for analysis) | Teaching Team |
| (Day 5) Friday August 28th - Case Study & Presentations (Applying Knowledge) | ||
| Time | Content | Speaker |
| 9:00-10:30 | Case Study: Deep dive into the drug discovery process - From early target identification to clinical application | TBD |
| 10:30-11:30 | Finalize Group Presentation | |
| 11:30-12:30 | Lunch | |
| 12:30-14:30 | Group presentations | |
| 14:30-15:00 | Course Evaluation & Closing Ceremony | |
| 15:00-18:00 | Research Project Guidance and Development Session | Teaching Team Mentoring |
Poster
