Fraser Glickman, M.S.P.H., Ph.D.

Glickman is interested in discovering molecules that can be developed into medicines, and in the technologies associated with drug discovery. One of the main barriers to translating basic research into treatments for disease is the amount of time required to test medical hypotheses. To speed up this trial-and-error process, Glickman focuses on instrumentation and software that automates and miniaturizes molecular and cellular testing. Among these approaches is high-throughput screening, in which large numbers of random small molecules are rapidly tested in disease-relevant bioassays to identify starting molecules for drug development. Additionally, new technologies that allow for dramatically increased speed and accuracy in the measurement of biomolecular interactions are improving the efficiency of the drug discovery process.

Glickman is working with various researchers to identify and develop novel assays for drug discovery, and then apply screening strategies to identify compounds for further therapeutic development. At the Fisher Drug Discovery Resource Center, he makes use of a variety of sophisticated approaches for measuring the interactions of small molecules and antibodies with their molecular targets. The information generated is critical for understanding the underlying mechanisms of disease and for beginning to identify drug-like molecules based on this understanding.