Drug Discovery Process Training ‘Target to Candidate’ – University of Dundee 2025

What is a drug? How are drugs designed? How does a drug navigate in the body to its desired target? What is a drug target? 

We are partnering with the Drug Discovery Unit (DDU) at the University of Dundee to offer FREE training designed to enhance your understanding of the drug discovery process.

This course has been designed to give scientists, with the aim of working in drug discovery space, a flavour of how a drug project goes from idea to pre-clinical candidacy. This course highlights how to start and progress a drug discovery campaign with real life examples from experts working in this area of science, both academia and industry. By utilising a series of interactive talks, workshops and tutorials, participants will learn the successes, failures and challenges of drug discovery.

Throughout the course, the DDU Training Academy team will take you through a series of topics to give you an appreciation of all aspects of drug discovery research. After a brief introduction to drug discovery, you’ll be taught on the following subjects:

• Screening methods and technologies 
• Hit validation and optimisation 
• Structure-based drug discovery 
• in vitro and in vivo DMPK 
• Lead optimisation 
• Mode of action 
• Pre-clinical follow-up 

Dates: 17th – 28th November 2025

Course length: 3 hrs per day over 2 weeks

Delivery method: Online via Microsoft Teams

Who can apply: We welcome applicants who are working in drug discovery or a field adjacent to drug discovery.

Eligibility

To participate, you must be a member of the CMM-FAILSAFE Medical Mycology Network. If you are not yet a member, joining is FREE, quick and easy—simply complete this short membership form: Become a Member.

How to apply

If you would like to take part in this fantastic training opportunity, please click on ‘Apply Now’ in the sidebar.

As part of the registration process, you will need to:

• Complete a short survey.
• Provide a short motivation explaining how this course will benefit you and your institution
• Provide the name and email of a reference (your line manager or other individual who can confirm suitability and availability to attend the course).  Please note they will be contacted to provide a short reference for you.

The DDU has extensive experience in training scientists and clinicians worldwide through a combination of online and in-person courses, placements in Dundee, and a comprehensive suite of online resources (available here). Their programs have supported researchers and institutions in developing drug discovery capabilities.

Timeline

Applications close: 19 September 2025

Application outcome: 03 October 2025 or sooner

Course runs online: 17 November 2025 to 28 November 2025

If you have any questions on this course or completion of the application, please email DDU-training@dundee.ac.uk or FAILSAFE@exeter.ac.uk.