Education
Today’s changing and increasingly challenging environment for procuring more effective and safer drugs has encouraged Prous Institute to develop an educational program paying special attention to the knowledge component of drug R&D activities.
The program addresses BioEpistemology. Epistemology is defined as the theory of knowledge, especially the critical study of its validity, methods and scope. Its Greek root, episteme, denotes knowledge. We can define BioEpistemology as the harmonious theories of biological knowledge.
Questioning is a part of our insatiable appetite for knowledge. Over time, persistent questioning has challenged scientific ideas and hypotheses, resulting in better and more accurate discoveries. The basis of our program is inquiry. In silico tools developed at Prous Institute promote effective questioning to create knowledge.
Question 1: R&D productivity has declined in recent years despite billions of dollars in annual research investment. Is it possible to change the equation, thereby obtaining greater productivity for less money?
Question 2: There has been an explosion of biomedical information, but improvements in productivity have not been observed. Is it possible to change the equation so that access to more information leads to increased productivity?
Question 3: Surrounded by infinite data, we are immersed in a sea of complexity. How can we change complexity to simplicity?
Question 4: The basic philosophy of modern R&D should be to morph big into small in recognition of the fact that “critical mass in fundamental research is the size of one human brain”. Is it possible to change the equation and transform small into big?