From ideas to medicines: Investigator perspectives

This unit takes you into the minds of leading researchers in the pharmaceutical sciences to unravel the thinking that goes into transforming an idea into a clinically useful drug. From a series of recorded and live interviews and Q&A sessions with the investigators, you will be able to interrogate research leaders on the qualities they possess and the strategies they use to help them generate ideas, test hypotheses and guide research programs whose primary aim is the discovery and development of new medicines.

Working in groups and individually, you will critically examine four investigator-driven drug discovery and development examples and, from your enquiry, formulate a comprehensive dossier on the interplay of science, scientists and prevailing circumstances in pharmaceutical discovery. You will present your findings, including ethical and sustainability issues that you encounter, in a variety of written and oral modalities. Upon completing this unit, you will have a mature understanding of the human nature of pharmaceutical research which will allow you to holistically evaluate contemporary and future pharmaceutical endeavours.