Drug Discovery and Team Science

This programme focuses on the application of a multidisciplinary team science approach to develop novel approaches and technologies involving the physical, biological and medical sciences to study membrane receptors in the right cell type and tissue. It encourages a collaborative multidisciplinary approach within a cohort-based programme of research. Each entry of four students will study one of the following disease-related themes: cancer angiogenesis; pain and addiction; respiratory diseases; immune-oncology and inflammation. They will tackle their theme as a multidisciplinary team with each student working in one of four key areas: target engagement; cellular environment; in vivo and ex vivo models and mathematical modelling; and systems biology. 

The key programme goals are to address: the skills gaps identified in complex in vivo experimental models and in vitro pharmacological analytical approaches; the need for multidisciplinary programmes, industrial/transitional placements and the provision of training in ‘translational’ skills such as communication, leadership and entrepreneurship; and the need for supportive training environments.