Shimeng Liu
Senior Scientist AstraZeneca
I am a senior scientist and epigenetic safety lead for early oncology drug development at AstraZeneca. I received my Ph.D. in biomedical science from Northwestern University and completed postdoctoral training at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where I investigated how epigenetic regulation influences cancer and normal tissue development. At AstraZeneca, I leverage advanced cell models and high-throughput assays—including multi-omics profiling and high-content imaging—to elucidate mechanisms of drug-induced adverse events. Using human organoid models and quantitative systems toxicology, I aim to identify and mitigate diarrheal risk early in drug discovery.
Seminars
Bridging the gap between early in vitro safety signals and real-world clinical outcomes remains a critical challenge, particularly as more programs rely on advanced in vitro models to guide decision making. This interactive workshop brings together case-driven perspectives from small molecules and complex biologics to show how translational alignment, validation standards, and clinical feedback loops can strengthen confidence in in vitro-driven safety strategies.
- Define what “good enough” validation looks like for ADC- and radio conjugate specific in vitro models
- Distinguish between models built for mechanistic understanding versus those intended to support regulatory toxicology decisions
- Address modality-specific challenges such as payload-driven toxicity, target expression, and off-target exposure
- Share practical lessons on aligning preclinical model outputs with clinical safety expectations for high-risk, high-value programs
- Apply GI organoids for early compound screening to identify diarrhoea liability before candidate selection
- Translate organoid-derived signals into quantitative clinical risk predictions to inform dose and progression decisions
- Understand how ad hoc mechanistic profiling using organoids is evolving to explain toxicity drivers and refine compound optimization
