Upcoming Events:

• May 19-21, 2008:
  AAPS Workshop on Drug Discovery Strategies and Critical Issues for Clinical Candidate Selection

2009 AAPS Annual Meeting & Exposition Information

DDD Programming

Meeting-at-a-Glance

Annual Meeting Website

Direct Link to Meeting Registration and Housing Reservations Website

Registration rates increase after September 11, 2009.

Hotel Reservation Deadline: October 7, 2009

AAPS Section Connection
• April 2009
• March 2009
• February 2009
• January 2009
• November 2008
• August/September 2008
• May/June 2008
• March 2008
• February 2008
• January 2008
• December 2007
• November 2007
• September 2007
• August 2007
• June 2007
• April 2007
• February/March 2007
• January 2007
• December 2006
• October 2006
• August 2006
• July 2006
• June 2006
• May 2006
• April 2006
• March 2006
• February 2006
• October/November 2005
• September 2005
• August 2005
• July 2005
• June 2005
• May 2005
• April 2005
• March 2005
• January/February 2005
• December 2004
• September 2004
• August 2004
• July 2004
• June 2004
• May 2004
• April 2004

The "Section Connection" is intended to serve as a conduit for the exchange of information between the AAPS Executive Council (EC) and Sections. This information will be assembled by Staff and the Section Member-at-Large following each EC meeting to provide a summary of pertinent actions that are relevant to Section leaders. Likewise, the Member-at-Large will transmit important Sectional information to the EC and use "Section Connection" as the recording mechanism of Section interests shared with the EC.

• List of DDD Affiliated Focus Groups
  • Computational Drug Design
  • Contract Research Organization (CRO)
  • Natural Products Chemistry
  • Nutraceutical
  • Pharmacogenomics (PGx)
  • Targeted Drug Delivery and Prodrug
• Join the DDD Listserve
• Important Dates
• AAPS Forms and Policies
• AAPS Member Groups Volunteer Handbook
• DDD By-Laws

ABOUT THE DDD SECTION

Who We Are:

The DDD Section engages in all aspects of the design and discovery of molecular pharmaceutical entities, and fosters interactions at the interface between drug discovery and development. DDD provides leadership and a forum for interactions among scientists from academia, industry, and research institutions. The section invites and supports collaborative relationships with scientists in other disciplines within AAPS and other scientific and professional organizations whose efforts are directed toward the interface of drug design and discovery and drug development. The DDD Section is truly unique among scientific organizations serving the needs of medicinal and natural products chemists and scientists engaged in other emerging technologies and disciplines involved in drug development, including druggability, by providing a single organization for all members associated with pharmaceutical drug discovery and development.

What We Do:

DDD encourages the discovery, dissemination, integration and application of knowledge concerning the chemistry, biochemistry, and pharmacological actions of synthetic and naturally occurring medicinal agents. Research activities leading to this knowledge involve the study of the physicochemical properties related to the structure and function of drugs, drug design and synthesis, and drug targeting at enzyme active sites, receptors, transporters, lipid membranes and other sites at which the influence of a drug as a bound ligand influences physiologic processes. These are accomplished using high throughput technologies, computational methodologies and molecular modeling, the use of microbial or mammalian enzyme systems for the prediction and production of mammalian drug metabolites, isolation of biologically active natural products from plant, animal, and microbial sources and their characterization through modern spectroscopic methods, and the relation of chemical structure and subsequent modification to the pharmacological activity of small molecules and macromolecules.

How We Do It:

DDD encourages joint membership with other sections of AAPS to foster greater understanding of the primacy of discovery and design in all aspects of the pharmaceutical development pipeline. The multidisciplinary nature of this section and of AAPS is conducive to a productive interaction between all segments of the pharmaceutical sciences. For this reason, the DDD Section is committed to joint symposia and other programs with various AAPS Sections in an effort to provide an atmosphere for the professional growth of its member scientists.

Drug Discovery Development Interface:

The Drug Design and Discovery Section is closely involved in the AAPS initiative concerning ways to characterize and optimize the drug-like properties of structural hits and leads, referred to as the Drug Discovery Development Interface (D3I). The DDD Section will assist in the creation of a D3I Collaborative, which should include representatives from basic, science-oriented sister organizations; and participate in the generation of a Drug Discovery-Development Roadmap, which will guide scientific programming and educational offerings.

DDD Awards

Nominate your colleagues for the prestigious awards to be presented by AAPS at the 2008 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Atlanta, Georgia, November 16 – 20.

• Research Achievement Award in Drug Design and Discovery
  This award is given in even-numbered years. It recognizes outstanding scientists who have conducted fundamental research that has had significant impact in the field of drug design and discovery. (Deadline: May 9)
• AAPS Graduate Student Symposium in Drug Design and Discovery
  This program is designed to recognize excellence in graduate education in the fields of drug design and discovery. Bristol-Myers Squibb and the Drug Design and Discovery (DDD) section of AAPS are pleased to support the continuation of excellence in education in the pharmaceutical sciences. (Deadline: April 11)
• AAPS Fellow
  AAPS confers the honor of Fellow to recognize individuals for outstanding contributions that elevate the stature of the pharmaceutical sciences and for professional excellence in the field relevant to the mission of AAPS. The primary criterion for selection as an AAPS Fellow is professional competence reflected through scholarly and research contributions to the pharmaceutical sciences such as original articles, scientific presentations at AAPS Annual Meetings and/or patents. (Deadline: April 11)

We also ask your assistance in promoting the Distinguished Service Award. This award is intended to recognize distinguished service in advancing the pharmaceutical sciences and the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists. The nominee for this award will have had a long and productive career, as well as distinguished service reflected in extensive contributions to the pharmaceutical sciences (in any one or more of its subdisciplines, e.g., those represented by AAPS Sections) and to AAPS as an organization per se. Specific emphasis will be placed upon achievements that have materially influenced the advancement and progress of pharmaceutical sciences and AAPS. (Deadline: May 9)

For more information on nomination and application procedures, including deadline dates, click here.

On behalf of the DDD Section, I would like to express our appreciation for your support and involvement in this very important activity. We hope that you will take this opportunity to recognize the excellent work of your colleagues.

Thank you.

The DDD Leadership Team
Christopher R. McCurdy, Ph.D., Chair
Richard A. Houghten, Ph.D., Chair-elect

Committee Descriptions

JOIN THE DDD LISTSERVE

To join the DDD Section Listserve click here.