Purdue President Mung Chiang Talks Pharma Innovation and AI at Fast Company Panel During SXSW

Summary

This Is Purdue: Episode Summary

Episode Title: Purdue President Mung Chiang Talks Pharma Innovation and AI at Fast Company Panel During SXSW
Release Date: April 17, 2025

Introduction

In this special episode of This Is Purdue, host Kate Young delves into Purdue University's significant role in pharmaceutical innovation and artificial intelligence (AI) through a live panel discussion at the Fast Company Grill during the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference and Festivals in Austin, Texas. The episode spotlights Purdue President Mung Chang's insights alongside industry leaders, highlighting the university's collaborations and advancements in the pharma sector.

Setting the Stage: Purdue at SXSW

Kate Young sets the scene by explaining Purdue University's presence at SXSW, emphasizing the university's recognition on Fast Company's Brands that Matter Annual list for the fourth consecutive year—the only university to achieve this honor. This accolade underscores Purdue's commitment to conveying its brand, fulfilling its mission, and advancing its ideals with authenticity and intention.

Kate Young [00:54]:
"South by Southwest is one of the world's biggest festivals bringing together innovators, creatives, and industry leaders, and our Purdue Brand Studio team was so excited to be there for this on-location episode in partnership with Fast Company."

Panel Introduction: Innovating What Matters

The episode features a live panel titled "Innovating What Matters: Driving Pharma Forward," moderated by Shabani Joshi. The panel includes:

Sean Bruik, Senior Vice President of AI and Data at Amgen
Mung Chang, President of Purdue University
Tatiana Konzavelli, CEO of Open Health Network

Cross-Industry Partnerships in Pharma

The discussion emphasizes the critical role of cross-industry partnerships in advancing pharmaceutical innovation. President Chang highlights Purdue's collaborative efforts with industry giants like Eli Lilly & Co. and Merck, focusing on AI-driven drug discovery and manufacturing.

Mung Chang [07:12]:
"On AI for the pharmaceutical industry, you can think of drug discovery and then think about drug manufacturing and storage and transportation. On both fronts, AI can play a transformational role."

He elaborates on Purdue's establishment of the Bill and Sherry Young Institute for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Innovation, aimed at integrating AI into deep automation for manufacturing both small molecules and biologics.

The Role of AI in Pharmaceutical Innovation

Sean Bruik [04:55]:
"We're focused really on two zones. The first is around drug discovery and using AI and machine learning tools to augment the incredible work of our scientists to find new opportunities to treat disease. And then the second is to move faster in bringing these medicines to market." [04:55]

Sean discusses Amgen's application of AI in drug discovery and operational efficiencies, drawing parallels from his diverse experience across industries like Meta and Nike. He underscores the transformative potential of AI in both scientific research and operational processes.

Tatiana Konzavelli [07:13]:
"We developed a clinical trial protocol generation tool that automatically creates clinical trial protocols that reduces time from months and even years to a few weeks." [07:13]

Tatiana highlights her company's use of Generative AI (GenAI) in automating clinical trial protocols, enhancing behavioral interventions for better participant adherence, and generating synthetic data to ensure diversity in clinical trials.

Overcoming Challenges and Roadblocks

The panelists discuss various challenges in implementing AI within the pharmaceutical industry. Sean emphasizes the necessity of digitizing data and fostering partnerships with technology firms to effectively utilize AI tools.

Sean Bruik [14:40]:
"At the heart of this AI revolution is a different way of thinking about your data assets... partners with AI and other large technology companies become almost as important as the scientific enterprise." [14:40]

President Chang echoes these sentiments, adding that AI requires specialization within vertical domains. He points out the need for domain expertise to complement AI's generalist capabilities, especially in areas like drug discovery and manufacturing.

Mung Chang [16:13]:
"You need the specialist in each vertical domain to work alongside the generalist. For example, in drug discovery... you still need the domain expertise to work together in that drug discovery phase." [16:13]

Future Vision: Transforming Healthcare

As the conversation wraps up, each panelist shares their vision for the future of healthcare and pharmaceutical innovation. Sean expresses excitement about the convergence of technology, genetics, and precision medicine to revolutionize healthcare delivery.

Sean Bruik [21:00]:
"I'm just delighted to have an opportunity to participate in this revolution where technology, deeper understanding of genetics, deeper understanding of precision medicine, all powered through data and AI, are going to transform the way we do healthcare." [21:00]

President Chang envisions Purdue's continued role in fostering innovation and preparing the workforce to meet the evolving demands of the pharmaceutical industry.

Mung Chang [21:31]:
"I look at the faces of these undergraduate and graduate students and they are eager to say with creativity we can save even more lives and with our partnership we can accelerate and amplify that life-saving opportunity in this industry." [21:31]

Tatiana shares a personal motivation, linking her company's mission to her own battle with cancer, driving her commitment to leveraging AI for life-saving innovations.

Tatiana Konzavelli [21:51]:
"I started my company when I was diagnosed with cancer and my vision was to have all this data in the power of AI to figure out why, to figure out how to save lives." [21:51]

Conclusion

The episode concludes with Kate Young summarizing Purdue University's impactful presence at SXSW, reinforcing the institution's role as a leader in pharmaceutical innovation and AI. She invites listeners to engage further through Purdue's podcast platforms.

Kate Young [22:33]:
"This is Purdue is hosted and written by me, Kate Young... be sure to follow This Is Purdue on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts." [22:33]

Notable Quotes

Kate Young [00:54]:
"South by Southwest is one of the world's biggest festivals bringing together innovators, creatives, and industry leaders..."
Mung Chang [07:12]:
"On AI for the pharmaceutical industry, you can think of drug discovery and then think about drug manufacturing and storage and transportation."
Sean Bruik [04:55]:
"We're focused really on two zones... drug discovery and using AI and machine learning tools to augment the incredible work of our scientists."
Tatiana Konzavelli [07:13]:
"We developed a clinical trial protocol generation tool that automatically creates clinical trial protocols that reduces time from months and even years to a few weeks."
Mung Chang [16:13]:
"You need the specialist in each vertical domain to work alongside the generalist."
Sean Bruik [21:00]:
"Technology, deeper understanding of genetics, deeper understanding of precision medicine... are going to transform the way we do healthcare."
Tatiana Konzavelli [21:51]:
"I started my company when I was diagnosed with cancer... to figure out how to save lives."

Final Thoughts

This episode of This Is Purdue provides an insightful exploration of the intersections between academia and industry in driving pharmaceutical innovation through AI. Purdue University's strategic collaborations, leadership in AI research, and commitment to fostering a skilled workforce are highlighted as pivotal elements shaping the future of healthcare. For those interested in the convergence of technology and medicine, this episode offers valuable perspectives from leading experts at the forefront of this transformation.