Loka Raghu Kumar Penke
Senior Scientist Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Dr. Raghu Penke is a Senior Scientist in Drug Discovery at Ionis Pharmaceuticals, focused on the development of RNA-targeted therapeutics, including antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and siRNA-based approaches. His work centers on advancing drug discovery efforts in pulmonary diseases, particularly in lung fibrosis and asthma.
His research integrates in vivo models, transcriptional biology, and translational strategies to better understand disease mechanisms and evaluate therapeutic candidates. Dr. Penke has contributed to both academic and industry research initiatives and is actively engaged in advancing RNA-based approaches for respiratory disease treatment. He is a recipient of the Parker B. Francis Fellowship and served as a co-investigator on NIH-funded grants during his time at the University of Michigan.
Seminars
For decades, the bleomycin model has served as the primary tool for evaluating antifibrotic candidates in pulmonary fibrosis research. Yet as the field has matured, it has become increasingly clear that reliance on a single preclinical model is insufficient to capture the biological complexity, chronic progression, and therapeutic responses observed in human disease.
Key Discussion Points:
- The strengths and limitations of traditional models, including bleomycin, and how they fit within a broader preclinical evaluation strategy
- How emerging platforms such as human lung tissue models, organoids, and PCLS are being used to complement in vivo studies and improve translational relevance
- Detecting safety signals and drug–drug interactions early in development to better inform clinical trial design and regulatory discussions
