Demystifying drug discovery

What does it really take to make new medicine? That was the central question explored at a lively and eye-opening University of Cape Town (UCT) Summer School excursion led by Dr John Woodland, who welcomed participants into the fascinating world of drug discovery.

Dr Woodland, a research officer at UCT’s Holistic Drug Discovery and Development (H3D) Centre and the Department of Chemistry, and a fellow at UCT’s Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM), took participants on a journey that extended far beyond the classroom. Through an illustrated and accessible presentation, he unpacked the long, complex and often surprising pathway that new medicines travel – from early experiments at the laboratory bench to the moment they (if successful) finally reach patients.

Along the way, he revealed how drug discovery has evolved over time, from chance findings and traditional remedies to today’s carefully designed, multidisciplinary pipelines. Participants gained insight into molecular optimisation, biological testing and the many hurdles a potential drug must overcome before it can be considered safe and effective. Woodland also offered a reality check, highlighting just how much time, expertise and investment are required, and how failure is an ever-present part of the process.

Woodland shared his team’s discovery of MMV390048, Africa’s first clinical candidate for malaria that eventually reached Phase II clinical trials in Ethiopia. He also highlighted how artificial intelligence and machine learning can be leveraged to improve the efficiency of various medicinal chemistry tasks.

Experience

The experience did not end with theory. The session flowed into a guided tour of H3D’s cutting-edge laboratories at the IDM, giving Summer School attendees a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the groundbreaking research taking place at UCT.

Participants left energised and inspired. As one attendee remarked: “Congratulations on an outstanding presentation at the 2026 UCT Summer School. I enjoyed your presentation and the discussions, and I know that the rest of the participants were similarly impressed and appreciative.”

By blending storytelling, science and hands-on exploration, this excursion helped to build trust between scientists and the public, reminding participants of the immense effort, collaboration and goodwill behind every pill on the pharmacy shelf.