Build in Derm: Discovery: It's More Than Skin Deep

Build in Derm distills practical guidance from AID's Entrepreneur Bootcamp for researchers and founders working to move dermatology innovation forward.

If you have ever looked at a promising dataset and thought, "This could become a treatment," you have taken the first step in translational medicine. The harder work comes next: protecting the idea, testing whether the biology will translate, and defining a path from discovery to development.

At the 2026 Dermatology Innovation Forum Entrepreneur Bootcamp, Michael D. Howell, PhD, Founder and President of Mountaineer Biosciences, presented "Discovery: It's More Than Skin Deep." Drawing on more than 25 years across academic research, drug development, and biotechnology leadership, Howell offered a practical roadmap for researchers who believe their work could support a new dermatology therapy or company.

Protect the Idea Before You Share It 

A promising discovery cannot move far if ownership and intellectual property are unclear. For researchers working within an academic institution, Howell recommends beginning with the technology transfer office and addressing four questions early:

• Disclose the invention. Make sure the institution knows what has been created and can begin the appropriate review.
• Clarify ownership and inventorship. This is especially important when multiple laboratories or collaborators contributed to the work.
• File before public disclosure. Talks, papers, posters, and other public presentations can affect the ability to protect the invention.
• Understand the licensing terms. Royalties, milestones, equity, and other institutional requirements will shape what happens next.

The practical lesson is simple: if the intellectual property is not secured, funding and partnerships become much harder to pursue.

Test Scientific and Translational Validity

The next step is not to generate every possible experiment. It is to determine whether the discovery can support a credible product thesis. Howell encourages researchers to pressure-test the program through a focused set of questions:

• Is the biological hypothesis causally linked to disease, or is the relationship only correlative?
• Are the key findings reproducible across models, laboratories, or datasets?
• What is the minimal viable dataset needed to support the next investor or partner decision?
• Is there a biomarker strategy that can demonstrate target engagement and biological activity?
• How differentiated is the mechanism from current and emerging competitors?
• What is the most credible translational path from model systems to humans?

That "minimal viable dataset" question is especially important. More data is not automatically more persuasive. The goal is the smallest credible body of evidence that validates the biological thesis and supports the next development decision.

De-risk the Science With Complementary Evidence

Howell organizes dermatology development across three complementary evidence streams. Each answers a different question about whether the biology can become a therapy:

1. In vitro: Cellular activity, three-dimensional cultures, proliferation and function, and off-target safety screening help establish the initial biological signal.
2. In vivo: Pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics or target occupancy, mechanistic models, and disease models test exposure, activity, and biological relevance in a living system.
3. Ex vivo and translational approaches: Human-relevant models, complex co-cultures, proteomic or genomic profiling, and cytokine or chemokine biomarkers help strengthen the bridge to patients.

The point is not to complete a generic checklist. It is to assemble an integrated evidence package that reduces the most important scientific and translational uncertainties for the program.

Turn the Discovery Into a Development Plan

Once the science is credible, the program needs a concrete path forward. Howell closes his framework with five next steps: translate the science into a clear product thesis; define the regulatory path with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; identify the fastest credible route to human proof-of-concept; recruit advisors who can support company growth; and map the next 12 to 24 months in specific terms.

That sequence separates an interesting academic finding from a program that investors, partners, and future team members can evaluate. The strongest next step is not simply more research. It is the right evidence, generated in the right order, to support a clear decision.

Get Focused Input Through DLC Office Hours

AID's Development Leadership Council offers structured, 20-minute, pro-bono consultations for early-stage dermatology companies. Applicants submit a brief, non-confidential deck and up to three focused questions in advance.

Whether your open question involves intellectual property, translational validity, biomarker strategy, or the next 12 to 24 months, Office Hours can provide focused feedback from experienced dermatology operators and development leaders.

Ready to check out our Development Leadership Council and their resources?
Learn more about the DLC Office Hours.