The DDL 2022 meeting proper will open on the afternoon of December 7 with a plenary talk by Federico Lavorini of the University of Florence titled, “Drug Delivery over the last 100 years . . . and the future.” The scientific program also includes talks by two DDL award winners: one lecture to be presented by the winner of the Emerging Scientist award on December 8, and the DDL Lecture, which will be presented by Hugh Smythe of the University of Texas at Austin on December 9. Smythe will be discussing “Overcoming barriers in drug delivery to the lung, what have we learnt and where are we going?”
The Pat Burnell Award session, which Pitcairn points to as a perpetual favorite, will take place on the afternoon of December 8. Five finalists have been selected for this year’s competition, one more than in 2021, and they are extremely impressive, he says. Pitcairn emphasizes that DDL is devoted to providing a forum for students as a sort of “training ground,” which was a difficult experience to deliver online despite the committee’s best efforts, so getting back to a face-to-face experience for students is a highlight. As in past years, students can register to attend DDL 2022 at no cost.
The remainder of the program includes invited and submitted talks in the following sessions:
- Planetary Health
- Lung Diseases
- Translational Science
- Technology Innovations
- Advancement in Formulations
“We’re very conscious that in the audience you have some people that are highly experienced veterans of the drug development industry, but we also get lots of people who are early on in their careers, either as students or just coming in to the industry; so I like the diversity we offer,” Pitcairn says; “It gives a real sense of the breadth of what’s going on.”
He adds that the number of posters submitted this year has also been impressive, as if people have been saving up work until the in-person meeting could happen, and notes that the influx of more than 100 poster submissions kept the committee extremely busy over the summer.
As usual, delegates will have numerous opportunities to visit the posters and the industry exhibition while networking with each other during refreshment breaks, lunches, and drinks receptions. Sponsors show off OINDP-related products and services will once again fill the exhibition area, with a number of first-time exhibitors joining long-time participants.
Exhibitors include:
