Irving Cancer Drug Discovery Program
The road from laboratory discovery to new cancer treatment is extremely challenging. Drug development requires major funds and infrastructure, for which academia depends on pharmaceutical partners. But industry partners are not capable of pursuing scientific discoveries at the earlier stages of research. As a result, many exciting cancer discoveries go no further than the lab, their clinical potential untapped—falling into what is sometimes referred to the “valley of death” between the lab and clinic.
Our Mission
The Irving Cancer Drug Discovery Program (ICDDP) was founded to help faculty make the leap from lab to clinic with their discoveries and accelerate the development of new approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. This incubator program provides faculty with critical support and infrastructure to drive innovation, including counsel with key industry leaders, funding for new technologies, and resources and training for every step of the drug development process.
How to Apply
Applications to the ICDDP open in February. For more information, please contact Emer Smyth (es3551@cumc.columbia.edu)
More Resources
We can connect you with industry professionals who can provide valuable insights to advance your research innovations from lab to market. Fill out the intake form below and we will find the relevant advisors (under CDA) for one-on-one conversations.
Pathways to a Cure
Read more about how the Irving Cancer Drug Discovery Program is working to accelerate discoveries into new therapies in our 2023 annual report.
Leadership and Faculty
ICDDP Leadership
Tannishtha Reya, PhD
- Director, Irving Cancer Drug Discovery Program
Anil K Rustgi, MD
- Herbert and Florence Irving Professor of Medicine
Emer M. Smyth, PhD
- Associate Professor of Pathology and Cell Biology at
ICDDP Staff
Sukhada Bhave
- Alliance Manager
Gloria Lim Steil
- Administrative Coordinator
ICDDP Advisory Board
Susan E. Bates, MD
- Professor of Medicine at CUMC
Colin Foster
- Exec In Residence, Fmr CEO, Bayer North America
Michael Kalos, PhD
- CSO Immuno-Oncology, Eli Lilly
Thomas Novak, PhD
- CSO, Autobahn Labs, Samsara Incubator
Barbara Pro, MD
- Professor of Medicine at CUMC
Irene Rombel, PhD
- CEO and Co-Founder, BioCurie Inc, AI, Janssen
Sandra Ryeom, PhD
- Associate Professor of Surgical Sciences (in Surgery)
William Snyder, PhD
- CTI, Pfizer Incubator
Brian Stearns, PhD
- Catalyst Partners/ Autobahn Therapeutics
ICDDP Steering Committee
Gad Berdugo
- Columbia Executive in Residence
Igor Matushansky, MD, PhD
- Columbia Executive in Residence
Anil K Rustgi, MD
- Herbert and Florence Irving Professor of Medicine
Maria Rahmany, PhD
- Director for Business Development and Portfolio Management, Columbia CTV
Peter Tollman
- XIR, MPM Capital, BCG
Dan Von Hoff
- External Adviser/VP&S Alum/Trialist
Ofra Weinberger, PhD
- Senior Director of Commercialization & Associate VP for IP and Tech Transfer, CTV