About
The Vanderbilt Institute for Therapeutic Advances is a next-generation drug discovery institute at the intersection of basic science, artificial intelligence, systems biology, and translational research. Founded as part of Discovery Vanderbilt and led by piofneering pharmacologist Craig Lindsley, VITA builds on Vanderbilt’s proven excellence in neuroscience drug discovery to tackle a broad range of diseases.
VITA reimagines the path from discovery to clinical candidate by fusing rigorous science with cutting-edge tools like BioVU, the world’s largest academic biobank, and state-of-the-art AI modeling. By uniting expert faculty, industry partners, and scalable infrastructure, VITA is designed to produce more clinical candidates, deliver faster breakthroughs, and expand therapeutic impact, particularly in areas too complex or high-risk for traditional drug pipelines.
VITA is not just a research center. It’s a translational engine built for speed, rigor, and relevance.
Mission Statement
To accelerate the discovery of transformative therapies to bring novel treatments to patients faster and tackle diseases overlooked by traditional drug development.
Discovery Vanderbilt empowers our faculty to lead at the frontiers of knowledge. VITA embodies this ambition and is a flagship for what’s possible through visionary, cross-disciplinary investment.
Scientific Director
Scientific Advisory Board
- David Cortez, Biochemistry Department Chair, Associate Director for Basic Science Research at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
View Bio - John Kuriyan, Dean, Basic Sciences, School of Medicine
View Bio - Heidi Hamm, Professor of Pharmacology
View Bio - Ken Lau, Director of the Center for Computational Systems Biology
View Bio - Hassane Mchaourab, Director of the Center for Applied AI in Protein Dynamics
View Bio - Douglas Mitchell, Director of the Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology
View Bio - Lisa Monteggia, Director of the Vanderbilt Brain Institute
View Bio
Ronald Alvarez, Chairman and Clinical Service Chief, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
View Bio - Jordan Berlin, Director, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine,
View Bio - Eric Skaar, Director, Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation
View Bio
Affiliated Faculty
- Jerod Denton, Professor of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, Research
View Bio - Jill Pulley, Research Professor of Medicine, Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
View Bio - David Cortez, Biochemistry Department Chair, Associate Director for Basic Science Research at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
View Bio - Ben Brown, Assistant Professor of Pharmacology
View Bio - Douglas Mitchell, Director of the Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology
View Bio - David Merryman, Professor of Biomedical Engineering
View Bio - Eric Skaar, Director, Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation
View Bio