The Drug Discovery and Development Research Unit, based at the University of Cape Town’s Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IIDMM), specialises in innovative drug discovery (including the use of natural African products) with the goal of developing drugs to treat diseases affecting Africans.

Key focus areas

• Using natural African products in modern drug discovery models;

• Shifting from traditional approaches to medicinal chemistry;
• Establishing scientific capacity and infrastructure for drug discovery and development using Africa’s rich biodiversity;
• Developing infrastructural and operational systems for new drug discovery and development as well as biological screening for infectious and other diseases;
• Promoting the field of drug discovery and development to attract young scientists and grow the scientific community; and
• Providing researchers with career development opportunities.

For more information, visit the Drug Discovery and Development Research Unit's Website