Ian Pass PhD

For the past 20 years, Dr. Ian Pass has worked in basic research and drug discovery within several major pharmaceutical companies. Throughout this practical experience and formal education, he has acquired detailed knowledge and practical expertise in high-throughput screening, biochemical and cell-based assay development, liquid handling, assay miniaturization, laboratory automation and robotics, compound management. He also routinely leads discovery programs within the Prebys Center, leveraging his expertise in biochemistry, to drive molecules through advanced drug discovery phases.

Ian received his PhD in Biochemistry at the University of Dundee, UK.  Ian completed his postdoc at Sanford Burnham Preys in cancer research, and later joined the Prebys Center as a Chemical Biology Team Lead. He also directs the HTS and Compound Management group at the center.

Related Disease
High Throughput Functional Screening

Techniques and Technologies
Automation, High-Throughput/Robotic Screening

Dr. Ian Pass is responsible for planning, implementing and executing HighThroughput Screening (HTS) projects within the Prebys Center at Sanford Burnham Prebys. In addition, he leads one of the three chemical biology teams, and oversees the Compound Management group at the Center. He has made contributions to the field of oncology and human disease have been far reaching and established a previously unknown potential mechanism to treat cancers. Ian has served as the primary investigator or co-investigator in all of these studies, several of which were carried out in direct collaboration with a major pharmaceutical partner. During this period he further developed his interest and skills in the early phases of drug discovery and development. Ian has practical knowledge and skills in assay development and detection technologies, laboratory automation and high-throughput screening. He has led approximately 20 HTS screening campaigns per year since 2013, collaborating with an array of both academic and industry partners. Currently, Ian leads the Center’s nuclear hormone receptor research program.