What we do
About Us
From target validation to clinical trials
Michigan Drug Discovery is a university-spanning collaboration to find, fund, and facilitate drug discovery projects originating from faculty research across indications and modalities. We support U-M investigators’ vast experience in areas of unmet medical needs with complementary expertise and technology through every step of the drug discovery process.
Michigan Drug Discovery staff provide guidance, strategy, and coordination of the university’s full drug discovery resources. We are supported by through an executive committee and an external advisory board representing scientific, medical, and commercialization experts in the field of drug discovery.
- bacterial and viral infections
- cardiovascular disease
- inflammatory disorders
- oncology
- ophthalmologic disease
- metabolic disorders
- neurodegeneration
- psychiatric disorders
- and many more
guidance, strategy, and coordination
What We Offer
Experienced guidance and mentorship through all stages of drug discovery and commercialization.
A one-stop entry point to university resources including:
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internal funding
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assay development
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high-throughput screening
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medicinal chemistry
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pharmacokinetics
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assistance in securing intellectual property
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guidance through the investigational new drug application process
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development of clinical trials
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connections to external partnership opportunities
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Funding the future of drug discovery
Michigan Drug Discovery administers three funding opportunities for drug discovery projects at U-M. Together, these three grant types offer support to academic drug discovery projects in nearly every stage, from initial screening through late-stage translational research.
Michigan Drug Discovery Project Grants help researchers navigate the challenges between identifying new biologically active compounds and developing them into clinical candidates in a collaborative, team-based model.
Michigan Drug Discovery Screening Grants provide both funding and scientific support for high-throughput screening of small molecules or natural product extracts with the goal of identifying chemical matter for modulating novel therapeutic targets.
In collaboration with the Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company, the SPARC-MDD Partnership Grant provides financial support and industry resources to accelerate the development of potential new medicines for a wide range of diseases.
And we’re just one of many internal funding sources for drug discovery projects across the university.
Campus Sponsors
Michigan Drug Discovery is jointly funded by the following U-M partners:
- College of Pharmacy
- Department of Internal Medicine
- Department of Pathology
- Life Sciences Institute
- Medical School Endowment for the Basic Sciences
- Office of the Provost
- Rogel Cancer Center