What is the seminar about?
opnMe, Boehringer Ingelheim’s open innovation platform, supports independent research by sharing well‑characterized preclinical molecules, free of charge, with the scientific community.
Join us on June 18, 2026, for a live online seminar that brings together three complementary scientific perspectives centered on one such molecule: BI 1002494, a highly potent and selective SYK inhibitor. SYK is a cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase discovered in the 1990s through immune‑receptor signaling studies that continues to reveal new mechanistic insights across diverse diseases.
Matthias Hoffmann will set the stage by recounting the discovery of BI 1002494, highlighting why kinase selectivity is essential for generating robust and interpretable tool compounds. Teresa Gagliano will then describe how an unbiased high‑throughput screen using the full opnMe molecule library unexpectedly identified SYK as a promising target in gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors (GI‑NETs)1. Finally, Brian Storrie will show how BI 1002494 selectively suppresses pathological thrombosis (occlusive clot formation) without impairing hemostasis (physiological wound healing), offering fresh mechanistic insights into clot formation2.
The session will be moderated by Florian Montel, who will frame the discussions within the opnMe philosophy of enabling independent discovery. Together, these examples illustrate how sharing high‑quality chemical probes brings scientists from different countries and disciplines together to reveal diverse insights from a single molecule.
| Agenda | |
| Florian Montel | Welcome and introduction to the opnMe philosophy |
| Matthias Hoffmann | Designing the selective SYK inhibitor BI 1002494 |
| Teresa Gagliano | An unexpected role of SYK in gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors |
| Brian Storrie | Why SYK inhibition prevents thrombosis but not wound healing |
| Interactive discussion | Audience insights, questions, and perspectives |
Why should you attend?
In this interactive seminar, you will:
- Discover how sharing high‑quality compounds fosters unexpected biological discovery across countries and disciplines
- Explore new evidence linking SYK to occlusive clot formation and gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors
- Exchange ideas directly with leading scientists behind these findings
- Receive an official opnMe certificate of attendance*
About the speakers
Florian Montel
Florian Montel, who holds a PhD in Chemistry, leads the opnMe team and heads the Open Science group at Boehringer Ingelheim. His focus is on overseeing the company’s open innovation initiatives, from opnMe to the coordination of the Public-Private-Partnerships funded by IHI and the collaborations with the BioMed X institute. His motivation is to openly share Boehringer’s scientific challenges and assets to foster academic innovation and accelerate the development of new treatments for patients in need.
Matthias Hoffmann
Matthias Hoffmann holds a PhD in Chemistry and has been with Boehringer Ingelheim for nearly 30 years. He currently serves as Senior Principal Scientist in the Global Medicinal Chemistry department. His work spans multiple therapeutic areas, including CNS, oncology, cardiometabolic, respiratory, and inflammatory diseases. Matthias made notable contributions to the discovery of BI 2536, the first PLK1 inhibitor to enter clinical development; volasertib (BI 6727), which received FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation for acute myeloid leukemia; and the SYK inhibitor BI 894416 for severe asthma.
Teresa Gagliano
Teresa Gagliano holds a PhD in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biotechnology from the University of Ferrara, Italy. After spending several years abroad in the UK and Switzerland, she relocated to Italy, where she is currently an Associate Professor of Experimental Biology in the Department of Medicine at the University of Udine. Teresa specializes in cancer cell biology, with a particular focus on neuroendocrine tumors and the tumor microenvironment. She leads the Gagliano Lab, which is dedicated to discovering innovative approaches for the treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies.
Brian Storrie
Brian Storrie holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, United States. He is currently a Professor of Physiology and Cell Biology and co-director of the Digital Microscopy Laboratory (Imaging Core) at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock, United States. Brian’s research concentrates on the structure-function relationships of organelles of the secretory pathway in platelets. His lab is notably working on the role of platelets in the formation of occlusive clots.
References
1Ditsiou A., Toffoli L., Vella V., D'Este F., Gagliano T. Spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) inhibition suppresses growth of gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumor cells: a pilot study in two cell lines. Cancer Gene Ther. 2025, 32(12):1303-1306. DOI: 10.1038/s41417-025-00979-5.
2Faruque M. O., Pokrovskaya I. D., Ball K. K., Webb M. W., Rhee S. W., Storrie B. The Syk inhibitor BI 1002494 impairs thrombus infill in a murine femoral artery occlusion without affecting hemostasis Blood Vessel Thromb Hemost. 2025, 2(4):100108. DOI: 10.1016/j.bvth.2025.100108.
*Please note that the name and email address you provide during registration will be used to generate your certificate of attendance.