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Science Made Me… seek big challenges with the potential to change patients’ lives

“I was always so excited by the idea of taking a tiny molecule and designing it to have a very specific, positive effect for patients.”
Only one in 5,000 to 10,000 substances synthesized in early research becomes an approved medicine that reaches the patient. Florian Jakob is up for the challenge. Against these odds, he always wanted to pursue a career as a pharmaceutical researcher. His passion for science has led him to seek big challenges with big potential to make people’s lives better. Since joining Grünenthal as a post-doc researcher in 2010, he has taken big steps to expand his expertise and drive progress for innovative treatments. That includes more than a decade of progressing the science of our Glucocorticoid Receptor Modulator (GRM) program.
Expertise and passion
Today, Florian is Head of Drug Discovery Engine at Grünenthal. He leads an international team of scientists that identifies high-potential drug candidates and investigates the most promising molecules to get them ready for clinical testing. It is a high-stakes and very complex task. “It takes a huge amount of expertise and passion to keep a molecule moving forward through discovery and development,” he says. “A whole village of people is involved in this process.”
Grünenthal’s research into a Glucocorticoid Receptor Modulator (GRM) is a strong example of how Florian grew as a person and as a scientist. The project aims to create a molecule that provides anti-inflammatory effects in patients without the side effects of Glucocorticoids like prednisolone. When the GRM program was set up at Grünenthal, it was a good fit for Florian’s skillset, who took on the challenge early in his career – and he is still working on it now that the compound has successfully passed Phase I of clinical development. “A lot has changed over the years, in our team and the science,” he says. “I make sure no knowledge gets lost as I was there from the very beginning.”
In the beginning, Florian joined the project as a chemist. As time went by, he became Grünenthal’s GRM Global Project Lead, orchestrating way more than just its chemistry aspect. “Drug development is complex, and as a project lead, I was able to learn an incredible amount about the process and all the associated workflows and departments,” Florian says. “Today, I benefit from this experience when I discuss with project managers as Head of Drug Discovery Engine about how my team can best support them.”
Beautiful moments
Carrying a project from the very beginning to clinical development involves highs and lows. “At one point in the development path, we realized that technical limitations have hindered us from achieving the desired pharmacodynamic effect,” he says. “It was unclear if we could continue the project. We worked six months to find a solution and embraced the scientific process of trial and error. When we finally got test results from our newly designed experiment that corresponded with our calculations and ticked every box, it was a beautiful moment for everybody.”
It is unusual for a scientist to go all the way from a post-doctoral research role to a senior leadership position within one company. It is perhaps even more unusual to work on a specific project for such a long time. But Florian never wanted to work in any other area of science. “Even as a student, I was always so excited by the idea of taking a tiny molecule and designing it to have a very specific, positive effect in the human body,” he says. “This is the job where my skills and knowledge make the biggest impact. I feel useful. And I feel motivated to keep pushing for success and helping patients in need.”

Inspired by Florian’s story?
Feel free to explore the Science Made Me episodes of Sevil, Maria, Sarthak, Sebastian, Dalena and Chanchal and don't hesitate to explore our open positions.
Want to learn more about GRM?
Take a sneak peek into Grünenthal’s Glucocorticoid Receptor Modulator and its mode of action.