Bridging Engineering and Pharmacology
- FHS Communications
WADDP hosts Prof Vitor A. Fortuna from the Federal University of Bahia in Brazil
Designing the right drug is only part of the challenge in pharmacology. Indeed, ensuring it reaches the right place, in the right amount, at the right time is critical. Traditional drug-testing methods can be slow and costly, and they may not fully capture the complexity of the human body.
The Computational Methods in Pharmacology and Pharmacokinetics/Pharmacodynamics (PKPD) workshop, co-organised by WADDP and Queen’s University Belfast, brought together researchers and students to explore how computational tools are helping to solve this challenge.
WADDP continues to promote cross-disciplinary research that uses computation and collaboration to transform the future of medicine in Africa and beyond.
Professor Pantelis Sopasakis from Queen’s University Belfast shared how his team develops mathematical and AI-based models that predict how drugs move through the body and how long they stay active. He focuses on developing risk-aware, optimal control systems that balance safety and effectiveness.
Sopasakis’ visit was made possible by Queen’s University Belfast and the Wits Pump-Priming Fund.
The workshop, held place on 20 October, aimed to show how computational methods can reduce the probability of side effects while maximising therapeutic benefit. These methods are already being used in areas such as autonomous vehicles and smart infrastructure and are now being applied to advanced drug administration and personalised medicine.
WADDP researchers highlighted how these methods can help address urgent health challenges, including HIV, HPV and cervical cancer. In particular, drug formulation, delivery and clinical prediction can be improved. Computational methods bridge engineering and pharmacology to advance precision drug-delivery science.
We were delighted to host Prof Vitor A. Fortuna from the Federal University of Bahia in Brazil at the workshop and indeed at WADDP for a visit.
Prof Fortuna is a biochemist and translational researcher who leads studies on sickle cell disease, phototherapy, and regenerative medicine. His work bridges immunology, wound healing, and nanomedicine, with a focus on developing accessible therapies for global health. His presentation was insightful and opened the door to further partnerships in disease areas and improved drug delivery.
The workshop covered several key topics, including PKPD modelling, strategies for safe and optimal drug administration, and advancements in drug delivery systems. It also explored computational drug design along with ADME processes—Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion—and concluded with an in-depth discussion on survival analysis in clinical research.