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As we begin 2026, I am honored to welcome you to a new year and a new chapter for the Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society. The start of the year is a natural moment for reflection on how far our field has come, and on the responsibility we carry as scientists to continue moving it forward with purpose and urgency.
Throughout my 30-year career in research, our efforts have been driven by a shared understanding: the patient is waiting for medicines that do not yet exist. This sense of urgency has long guided our work, and at times it has struck painfully close to home, when a loved one or family member becomes the patient in need. That reality continues to motivate our community as we step into the year ahead.
Today, that urgency is accompanied by remarkable optimism. The past year has been a pivotal one for oligonucleotide therapeutics. In 2025 alone, multiple antisense oligonucleotide and siRNA medicines achieved regulatory approval, further validating RNA-targeted approaches as a durable and expanding therapeutic modality. At the same time, advances in delivery technologies, including novel conjugates and platforms targeting tissues beyond the liver, are rapidly increasing the scope of diseases we can address. These innovations are broadening the impact of oligonucleotide medicines across metabolic disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular indications, and rare genetic conditions. Together, these advances signal that we are at a tipping point for delivering true breakthrough medicines to patients.
At the heart of this progress is the global community of scientists who comprise OTS. Our Society exists as an open forum to foster collaboration across academia, industry, and clinical research, united by a shared mission to improve the lives of patients. In an increasingly uncertain world, the importance of sustaining and strengthening this global scientific community cannot be overstated. OTS remains committed to being a welcoming, inclusive home for scientific exchange, innovation, and mentorship — all are welcome.
Building on the strong foundation established by the founders of OTS, and working alongside the Board of Directors, I am committed to further enhancing our community and expanding the reach of OTS. We will continue to support and grow core programs such as mentoring initiatives and educational webinars, while strengthening regional and international engagement to ensure that scientists around the world can connect, collaborate, and contribute to the advancement of oligonucleotide therapeutics.
Your participation in OTS, as a member, mentor, speaker, or advocate, is essential to sustaining and expanding these efforts. I thank our existing members for your continued support, and I warmly invite those who are not yet members to join us as we work together to shape the future of our field.
I look forward to the year ahead and to what we will accomplish together with urgency, optimism, and a shared commitment to making lives better through science.
