Launch of Therapeutic Program Areas

Since its inception, the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences has been organised along the lines of capability.

A researcher’s primary affiliation is with a research theme that corresponds to a discipline area somewhere along the drug development pipeline: Drug Discovery Biology, Medicinal Chemistry, Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Drug Candidate Optimisation, or Medicine Use and Safety.

However, collaboration between themes has been crucial in so many of our success stories, but there has been no formal framework in place so hypotheses and findings were shared in an ad hoc, case-by-case basis.

Until now.

After a thorough examination of the Faculty’s key strengths, three initial areas of critical mass and focus have been identified where researchers from different backgrounds can unite on specific diseases and challenges.

These Therapeutic Program Areas (TPAs) are:

  • Neuroscience and mental health
  • Cardiovascular and metabolic health
  • Global health.

MIPS director Chris Porter said,

It was important for us to recognise that we have an incredible breadth of expertise at the Institute and that there are numerous ways in which separate disciplines can benefit from liaising with each other in clusters of excellence, with each participant bringing a unique set of technical skills, areas of knowledge and experiences.”

Innovation and collaboration

The TPAs will further cement Monash as Australia’s top ranked faculty for pharmaceutical sciences, with over 4,000 scientists publishing over 350 research articles each year and 30 novel drugs in clinical trials.