Drug repurposing and discovery multidisciplinary training network

Drug repurposing (or repositioning) is the application of previously identified drugs or compounds to treat new indications.The International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC) set as main goal for 2027 that 1000 new therapies for rarediseases will be approved. One of the levers to achieve this goal includes the repurposing of already existing and marketeddrugs.

In this context, DRUGtrain offers a timely paradigm for multidisciplinary research ideal for improving drug repurposingand development strategies of compounds, with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) as example.Identifying compounds for repurposing requires a broad variety of approaches.

Therefore, the aim of DRUGtrain is to offer amultidisciplinary research training program to young researchers preparing them to become leading scientists able tointegrate molecular and pharmacological data, and translate fundamental research questions to the (pre)clinic and viceversa.The research objectives of DRUGtrain are: 1) To identify potential drug targets and drug candidates for repurposing usinginnovative bio-informatics and cheminformatics approaches; 2) To perform drug testing/drug screenings in advanced in vitroand in vivo models, ultimately leading to testing of new treatment strategies; 3) To clarify drug mechanisms, and identify andreduce adverse events using state-of-the-art technologies from in silico and wet lab methodologies.

Complementary trainingthrough courses will cover additional topics in drug repurposing and drug discovery as well as scientific skills, personaldevelopment, commerce and entrepreneurship.In DRUGtrain, 6 academic and 4 private sector beneficiaries/partner organisations and 1 NGO are collaborating in joiningforces to intensify network activities between academia, industry, and a patient organization.

The training offered shouldsupport the ESRs in becoming the next generation of true multidisciplinary researchers in (bio)pharmaceutical sciences.