The course is the first of two modules that will allow students from life sciences graduate programs to acquire foundational knowledge for the development and critical evaluation of artificial intelligence (AI) approaches in drug development. The course will introduce students to fundamental concepts in AI and machine learning and demonstrate their application to drug development. Students will examine foundational papers at the intersection of AI and drug development in depth to understand the conceptual framework of the AI models that underlie the findings.

The scope of the course includes structural biology, chemistry of druglike molecules, translational research, and clinical pharmacology. With facilitation, students will conduct hands-on active learning assignments using simplified datasets to solidify their understanding of AI approaches. To develop collaborative multidisciplinary skills, life science students will meet with Computer Science students and design drug development research questions that can be answered by AI approaches.