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 rare
diseases will be approved. One of the levers to achieve this goal includes the repurposing of already existing and marketed
drugs. In this context, DRUGtrain offers a timely paradigm for multidisciplinary research ideal for improving drug repurposing
and 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 a
multidisciplinary research training program to young researchers preparing them to become leading scientists able to
integrate molecular and pharmacological data, and translate fundamental research questions to the (pre)clinic and vice
versa.
The research objectives of DRUGtrain are: 1) To identify potential drug targets and drug candidates for repurposing using
innovative bio-informatics and cheminformatics approaches; 2) To perform drug testing/drug screenings in advanced in vitro
and in vivo models, ultimately leading to testing of new treatment strategies; 3) To clarify drug mechanisms, and identify and
reduce adverse events using state-of-the-art technologies from in silico and wet lab methodologies. Complementary training
through courses will cover additional topics in drug repurposing and drug discovery as well as scientific skills, personal
development, commerce and entrepreneurship.
In DRUGtrain, 6 academic and 4 private sector beneficiaries/partner organisations and 1 NGO are collaborating in joining
forces to intensify network activities between academia, industry, and a patient organization. The training offered should
support the ESRs in becoming the next generation of true multidisciplinary researchers in (bio)pharmaceutical sciences.