Description
Pirana AI Certification Course: Mastering Model Management and Workflow Optimization (August-October 2025)
Pricing
Cost - $550 (Academia $275, Africa/India $150)
Users requesting an Academic membership will only be accepted with proof of academic status by using an active academic email address. Users from Africa/India will need to provide Certara University with a copy of their government issued proof of residency.
If an email address fails to meet that standard, the individual will be notified and will not be given access to the requested membership type.
Description
This Pirana AI Certified course equips participants with the knowledge and skills to harness the full potential of Pirana, a powerful model management tool widely utilized in pharmacometric modeling and simulation. Participants will dive into core functionalities, advanced features, machine learning-driven model search (Pirana Darwin), and best practices for streamlining workflows, improving model organization, and integrating seamlessly with tools like RsNLME, NONMEM, R, and PsN.
The course incorporates hands-on training with Pirana Darwin's machine learning capabilities. Pirana Darwin integrates machine learning algorithms for automated model selection, equipping participants to significantly enhance model selection and evaluation processes through advanced AI-driven techniques.
Through practical, hands-on training, participants will gain expertise in both Pirana and Pirana Darwin, positioning them to earn the Pirana AI Certified designation. This certification validates their ability to leverage these tools for advanced, effective model-based decision-making.
Please note: This course is not an introduction to Population PK/PD modeling and does not provide instruction on the use of NONMEM. The focus is exclusively on mastering Pirana and its AI capabilities for model management and workflow optimization.
Course Format, Language, and Access
This course format is as a ‘Live on-line classroom’ which means that the course is delivered virtually by an expert Phoenix instructor at pre-specified times. This format provides the benefit of the classroom setting, with real-time interaction with the instructor but without the travel. Although live attending is encouraged, recordings of the sessions are available to participants during the length of the course. You will have access to the recordings for 3 months following the last session of the course.
This course will be delivered in English.
Course Dates (See Agenda Below):
|
Meeting |
Day |
Date (2025) |
Time |
|
Session 1 |
Monday |
25 August |
10am-Noon EST |
|
S1 - Hands-On |
Thursday |
28 August |
10am-Noon EST |
|
Session 2 |
Monday |
8 September |
10am-Noon EST |
|
S2 - Hands-On |
Thursday |
11 September |
10am-Noon EST |
|
Session 3 |
Monday |
15 September |
10am-Noon EST |
|
S3 - Hands-On |
Thursday |
18 September |
10am-Noon EST |
|
Session 4 |
Monday |
22 September |
10am-Noon EST |
|
S4 - Hands-On |
Thursday |
25 September |
10am-Noon EST |
|
Session 5 |
Monday |
29 September |
10am-Noon EST |
|
S5 - Hands-On |
Thursday |
2 October |
10am-Noon EST |
Note: There will be no classes the week of Sept 1st, 2025
Certificates:
Participants who attend and pass the certification exam will receive an e-badge as Pirana AI Certified.
Instructors:
James Craig, MS: Staff Software Engineer with over 10 years of experience building scientific applications and leading cross-functional teams. He earned a Master’s in data science and analytics from the Claremont Colleges and is a maintainer of multiple R packages supporting Non-Linear Mixed Effects Modeling and pharmacometric workflows. Skilled in R, Shiny, Python, and diverse data-driven technologies. Passionate about bridging software, data science, and drug development.
Keith Nieforth, PharmD.: Dr. Nieforth is the product owner for Certara’s NLME, Pirana, and Trial Simulator software solutions. Prior to joining Certara, Keith spent over 20 years at Roche in the department of Clinical Pharmacology where he contributed to numerous projects involving PK, PK/PD, and population pharmacokinetic analyses. While at Roche, Keith also served as the global business lead for the implementation of a clinical pharmacology data working environment, which harmonized workflow and toolsets for the organization, analysis, and reporting of clinical pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics data across Roche sites in Switzerland, UK and USA. Keith holds a B.S. in Pharmacy from the University of Connecticut, and a Pharm.D. from The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
Mark Sale, MD: Dr. Sale has extensive experience conducting advanced pharmacometrics analyses across diverse therapeutic areas and developing novel machine learning methods to accelerate drug development. He received his M.D. from The Ohio State University and an M.A. in Biostatistics from Georgetown University. Dr. Sale completed a fellowship in clinical pharmacology at Stanford University and was an assistant professor of medicine and pharmacology at Georgetown University. Dr. Sale is currently the Vice President of Product Management at Certara as well as a scientific advisor at RxStudio.
Contact Us:
For additional information, please contact us.
Objectives
Agenda
Session 1: Introduction to Pirana and Model Management
- Overview of Pirana and its applications
- Installation and setup
- Navigating the interface: projects, models, file structures, and data set requirements.
- Best Practices for Pirana Use
- Introduction to Basic Pirana and its add-ons
- Introduction to RsNLME and PML language
Session 1 Hands-On Exercise
- Practical exercise reviewing Pirana executed workflows
- Installation Assistance
Session 2: Managing Pop PK Analyses using RsNLME
- Pirana settings for RsNLME
- Exploratory Data Analysis
- Specifying Models
- Diagnostics and Model Comparisons
- Covariate selection
- Model improvement and Validation
- Reporting
Session 2 Hands-On Exercise
- Practical exercise using Pirana with RsNLME
Session 3: Managing Pop PK Analyses using NONMEM
- Pirana settings for NONMEM and PsN
- Specifying Models
- Diagnostics and Model Comparisons
- Covariate selection
- Model improvement and Validation
- Reporting
Session 3 Hands-on Exercise
- Practical exercise using Pirana with NONMEM (Note: Users need to have their own NONMEM license)
Session 4: Pop PK Analysis with Machine Learning
- Introduction to Pirana Darwin
- All components of Pirana Darwin Installation and Settings
- Overview of machine learning model selection (NLME)
- Interpretation/Evaluation of Pirana Darwin Model Search Results and Additional Considerations.
- Understanding Fitness Scores, Search algorithms, Search Space, and Number of generations
Session 4 - Hands-On Exercise
- Practical exercise using Pirana Darwin
Session 5: Pop PK Analysis with Machine Learning (Cont’d)
- Machine learning model selection (Cont’d)
- Case Study using Pirana Darwin
- Reporting
Session 5 – Hands-On Exercise
- Preparation for Certification Exam
- Wrap-up
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Classroom Courses
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Notification of Cancellation by Participant Amount of Refund| 1-30 Calendar Days | 0% Refund |
| 31-59 Calendar Days | 50% Refund |
| 60 Calendar Days or More | 100% Refund |
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