Join us for our monthly virtual presentation facilitated by experts in their field.

February 19, 2026

4:00 - 5:00 pm (Eastern)

TOPIC: Modernized Drug Development: Monoclonal Antibodies
Presenter: Dr. Nikki Thellman

This lecture has not been submitted for RACE CE credits and VCCIS will not offer them during the live presentation.

The objective of this lecture is to provide a brief overview of how monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) serve as powerful and versatile tools in modern therapeutic development. Dr. Nikki M. Thellman will discuss the fundamentals of mAbs as therapeutics, focusing on how their structure and function enable precise targeting of disease-specific molecules. She will outline key steps in drug development unique to antibody therapeutics, including binding affinity and functional screening, as well as address the unique challenges mAbs present compared to small molecule drugs, such as immunogenicity. Additionally, Dr. Thellman will explain how the industry leverages advanced science and technology to engineer mAbs for animal health, specifically to minimize immune reactions.

Dr. Nikki M. Thellman, DVM, PhD, has been with Zoetis Veterinary Medicine Research and Development (VMRD) since 2017. She is currently a Senior Principal Scientist in the Global Therapeutics Clinical Pharmacology line, leading innovative comparative medicine strategies in early, pre-clinical research for companion animals (cats, dogs, and horses). She recently took on the strategic role as VMRD Therapeutic Head for Allergy and Dermatitis where she aligns the innovative research efforts with the Zoetis commercial business unit to better meet the needs of the customer. Her academic journey began at the University of Michigan, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology in 2003, followed by a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Louisiana State University SVM in 2007. Dr. Thellman initially practiced as a small animal veterinarian in Las Vegas, NV, and the Indianapolis, IN area, where she also managed a Noah’s Animal Hospital. Driven by a passion for research, she pursued a PhD in cellular and molecular biology, focusing on herpes simplex virus latency and reactivation, and successfully defended her dissertation at Van Andel Institute Graduate School in 2017. Returning to animal health, Dr. Thellman combines her veterinary and research expertise to impact patient solutions. She maintains her veterinary license in Michigan, where she lives with her veterinarian husband, three children, four cats, a tortoise, and plenty of chickens.

Our monthly presentations are one hour long and cover a variety of topics we believe you will find interesting and educational. Also, all sessions are recorded and made available in our Resource Library for viewing on-demand by our members at a later time.