#drug design and development

MeetFlor Cobar, pharmaceutical chemist and drug development scientist

1)  What do you do?

I am currently an MSc student in Pharmaceutical Modelling. I apply my theoretical and practical knowledge of advanced modelling techniques including computational chemistry, modelling of clinical and preclinical data, machine learning, bioinformatics and programming skills to various disciplines of drug discovery, development, and usage. 

2)  Where do you work?

I am currently doing my degree project in the field of computational medicinal chemistry at the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Design and Development at Uppsala University in Sweden.

3)  Tell us about the photos!

[Left:]A photo from my visit to Stockholm

[Right:] In the picture, I was mapping potential binding sites of MMP13 (matrix metalloproteinase 13) enzyme to evaluate druggability. It’s a small part of my project which is about optimization and evaluation of virtual screening protocols.

4)  Tell us about your academic career path so far. 

I finished BS Pharmacy in CEU Manila and continued to obtain a Doctor of Pharmacy in CEU Makati. Immediately after I finished PharmD, I taught in CEU Manila and Makati for 2 years. I applied for a scholarship in Uppsala University and I was awarded with IPK Uppsala University Scholarship.

5) Anything else you’d like to share

In silico (or performed in computer or via computer simulation) methodologies in the field of pharmaceutical sciences has not been accepted or practiced yet in the Philippines (to my knowledge). These techniques will help us make smart decisions of identifying compounds/molecules that are needed to be prioritized and tested, thus saving a lot of time and money in drug discovery and development. As an academician and a researcher, I hope that in silico methods will be practiced in pharmaceutical research in the Philippines as it is becoming the norm in EU, USA and in Japan.