The Madeira Chemistry Research Centre (CQM) will host the seminar “Medicinal Chemistry: Where Are We and Where Are We Going? How Can We Succeed in Discovering and Developing New Drugs?”, presented by Professor Serge Mignani*, senior researcher at CQM, which will take place on July 7, 2026, at 15:00, in Conference Room 0.57.

Registration is required to attend.

ABSTRACT

Medicinal chemistry is an interdisciplinary research field that is evolving rapidly. Its aim is to improve human health by developing drugs to combat disease. Fundamental to the discovery of safe and effective drugs, it underpins chemical biology, pharmacology and medicine. The history of medicinal chemistry reflects humanity's ongoing quest to find therapeutic solutions that alleviate suffering and combat disease. This presentation covers various important aspects of medicinal chemistry, enabling us to answer the following question: Where are we in the field of medicinal chemistry, and where are we going? After analyzing the costs and timeframes of the early stages of drug discovery, we will present and discuss an overview of the drug discovery and development process. The next section will address the following question: How can we succeed in finding and developing new drugs? The key elements to be identified can be categorized as follows: The right target, the right tissue, the right safety profile, the right patients, the right commercial potential and the right culture. The following section will address an important criterion concerning druggability concepts in medicinal chemistry: how and why to evaluate them. This will be illustrated with relevant examples. We will also discuss the druggability of nanoparticles in general terms. Finally, we will present and discuss certain key strategic techniques for discovering new drugs, such as the bitopic approach as an example of polypharmacology. The final chapter will focus on Medicinal Chemistry & Artificial Intelligence.

Registration until 06^th of July 2026.

Registration form (Limited seats available)