The College of Pharmacy’s annual Chu Lectureship, held fall of 2024, welcomed Dr. Anabella Villalobos, Senior Vice President and Head of Biotherapeutics and Medicinal Sciences at Biogen in Massachusetts. Dr. Villalobos presented “Therapeutic Modalities for Neurological and Rare Diseases” at the program, which was selected to be a part of the prestigious UGA Fall 2024 Signature Lecture Series.

Dr. Villalobos, an internationally recognized leader in drug discovery and medicinal chemistry, addressed faculty, students, staff, and guests on the current landscape of therapeutic drug modalities for neurological and rare diseases, such as spinal muscular atrophy. She discussed one of the major challenges in treating diseases of the brain and spinal column with large drugs—such as engineered proteins or molecules used in gene therapy—highlighting the difficulties in drug delivery and effective transport to their sites of action within the central nervous system. Her research team at Biogen is taking a multidisciplinary and innovative approach to overcoming these barriers.

The College of Pharmacy’s Chu Lectureship honors the outstanding accomplishments of Distinguished Research Professor and Professor Emeritus Dr. David Chu, who has spent his career researching new drugs for treating viral infections and cancer. “Dr. Villalobos’ work developing novel therapeutics mirrors Dr. Chu’s legacy, and we are grateful for the knowledge and insights she shared with our community,” commented Dean Kelly Smith