Evogene Appoints Two University Professors to Accelerate ChemPass AI Engine
Evogene appointed Prof. John J. Irwin from UCSF and Prof. Dan T. Major from Bar-Ilan University to its Scientific Advisory Board. These appointments aim to reinforce Evogene's scientific leadership and accelerate its ChemPass AI engine for the discovery and optimization of novel small molecules in pharmaceutical and ag-chemical pipelines.
1. Appointment Details
Evogene has added Prof. John J. Irwin, a leader in ligand discovery and virtual screening at UCSF, and Prof. Dan T. Major, an expert in multiscale molecular modeling at Bar-Ilan University, to its Scientific Advisory Board. Both bring extensive experience in AI-driven and data-driven small-molecule discovery, with Irwin known for ZINC and DOCK databases and Major for hybrid QM/MM simulations.
2. Strategic Implications
These strategic appointments are designed to strengthen oversight of ChemPass AI™, Evogene’s proprietary generative AI platform for small molecule design. The new advisors will guide enhancements in model accuracy, scalability and real-world applicability, aiming to shorten discovery cycles and improve success probabilities in downstream pharmaceutical and agricultural development programs.