From August 11 to 28, 2025, PSN-YPG Lagos successfully hosted its Drug Design Course, a fully virtual program focused on equipping participants with foundational skills in Computer-Aided Drug Design (CADD).
Over a three-week period, 50 early-career pharmacists, interns, and students were trained through a mix of live Google Meet sessions, recorded video lectures, guided assignments, and technical support. The course provided hands-on exposure to key techniques now driving early-stage drug discovery and development.
A New Generation of Drug Designers
Participants explored practical tools and concepts including:
- Molecular Docking
- Virtual Screening
- ADMET Prediction
- Pharmacophore Modeling
- QSAR
- Machine Learning for Drug Discovery
- Python setup and basic coding workflows
The program was designed to be both accessible and rigorous, with no prior coding experience required—just a laptop and the curiosity to learn.
Throughout the course, participants engaged with facilitators, completed practice-based assignments, and shared insights across a growing virtual learning community.
Closing Reflections
The Drug Design Course served as more than just a training—it was a space for emerging scientists to reimagine their role in the future of pharmacy and pharmaceutical research. By merging data-driven tools with scientific thinking, participants left with a stronger foundation in one of the fastest-evolving areas of modern healthcare.