Medicinal chemistry course simulates real drug development landscape

A team of medicinal chemistry students in Translational Experience in Drug Discovery and Development last spring. 

Translational Experience in Drug Discovery and Development, a course offering for first- and second-year medicinal chemistry graduate students in the College of Pharmacy, replicates “real-world” therapeutic development. Designed by Dr. Adam Duerfeldt, associate professor and director of graduate studies in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry, the course’s curriculum was inspired by an influential course he took during his own studies. He said the class, which he calls TED³, offers an experiential learning vessel through which students have to apply what they’ve learned in didactic coursework— “essential drug pipeline concepts such as pharmacokinetics, toxicology, and regulatory considerations,”— holistically and in an unfamiliar way.  

“From a learner-centered perspective, [medicinal chemistry] students needed an environment where they could transition from mere consumers of scientific information into active practitioners,” Duerfeldt said in his teaching statement. 

Over the span of a semester, students work in small groups, i.e, “start-up companies,” to research a molecular target and a therapeutic application. They then develop testing procedures that comply with current industry standards, create a target product profile, and devise routes to and request data for target molecules from a mock testing site. Their testing yields a diverse data portfolio (sometimes with conflicting results), reflecting the hiccups and barriers that they might face in an authentic drug development environment. 

“It’s rare for medicinal chemistry programs around the country to offer this sort of active learning opportunity,” Duerfeldt said. “Based on my discussions with faculty at other institutions, I’m pretty confident that there’s not another course like this in [the region].” 

The student teams benefit from real industry mentors— visiting professionals from different U.S. pharmaceutical companies who offer guidance throughout the process. In addition to mentorship, this allows students to organically network and interact with those working in the field. 

"Connecting our students directly with industry mentors is one of the aspects I’m most eager to expand. I hope these interactions help the students build lasting professional networks that provide value long after they graduate," Duerfeldt said.

The course requires significant labor to facilitate. As the instructor, Duerfeldt has to generate and read through copious amounts of data as the students go through the process each semester. But the payoff is in the ample positive feedback he’s received from students who took the class in its two offerings so far. Duerfeldt says the students value the opportunity to “struggle in a safe environment,” one where they don’t have real money or careers at risk. The course provides a true-to-life simulation of the drug development pipeline, a process that’s not often replicated in an academic setting and one that Associate Dean of Assessment and Quality Kristin Janke described as “highly practical in preparing new scientists for drug discovery.” 

"My hope is that this course fundamentally changes how students view their work,” Duerfeldt said. “I want them to step away from the course not just as students with didactic knowledge, but as more confident practitioners in drug discovery and development."