The Evolution of Drug Discovery

In these sessions, the evolution of drug discovery begins in ancient times, when scientific knowledge was limited, and proceeds to today where advances in chemistry, biology and biotechnology have allowed for new and ever-evolving innovations. We will explore drug discovery from the mostly serendipitous observations of the 19th century, to the more rational approaches of modern times. Topics included are the discovery of anesthetics and antibiotics, finding and validating new drug targets, finding and optimizing potential drug molecules. We’ll also look at developments in structure-activity relationships, computer-assisted drug design (including the use of AI), and the roles of absorption, distribution, metabolism and toxicity.