DEMYSTIFYING DRUG DISCOVERY: WHAT IT TAKES TO BRING A NEW ME
MEDICINE FROM THE BENCH TO THE BEDSIDE
Dr John Woodland, Research Officer, Department of Chemistry and Holistic Drug Discovery and Development (H3D) Centre, University of Cape Town
Saturday 31 January 10:00 am–12.00 pm COURSE FEES R200; Staff and students R150
Maximum number of participants 20
MEETING POINT Main entrance to the Faculty of Health Sciences, Anzio Road, Observatory
Modern medicines have revolutionised society, from curing infectious diseases to managing chronic conditions and mental health illnesses. But behind every pill lies a lengthy, intricate and often surprising journey – what does it take to discover a new drug, to bring it ‘from the bench to the bedside’?
Historically, drugs were discovered serendipitously and were usually isolated from natural sources. Today drug discovery efforts take many years and cost hundreds of millions of dollars. They require the input of hundreds of specialists from a multitude of backgrounds to ensure that therapeutic compounds are effective and safe. Given these challenges, and the reality that most drug development efforts fail, you may be surprised to learn that we have any medicines at all.
This excursion to UCT’s Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM) will begin with an illustrated talk that traces the drug discovery and development pipeline from molecular optimisation to biological testing and ultimately (if successful) to patient care. It will be followed by a tour of the cutting-edge laboratories that contribute directly to addressing the important health challenges of our time.
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