Fiocruz and TGHN LAC bring training in drug development and molecular dynamics to Brazil’s interior
From 26 to 30 May 2025, the city of Crato, in the state of Ceará, will host two scientific events linked to Fiocruz: the 2nd Workshop on Drug Development for Infectious Diseases, on 26 and 27 May, and the 1st Introductory Course on Molecular Dynamics Applied to Pharmacology, from 28 to 30 May.
With the participation of researchers from Fiocruz headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, Fiocruz Ceará, Fiocruz Rondônia, and partner institutions from Colombia and Paraguay, the activities will take place in person at the Regional University of Cariri (URCA) campus, with an estimated 100 participants. Registrations for the events are now open.
Aimed at students, researchers, and professionals in the health and biological sciences fields, the events will feature lectures, discussion rounds, and oral presentations. The theoretical-practical course will offer training in Molecular Dynamics (MD), a computational technique used in the search for new drugs.
2nd Workshop on Drug Development for Infectious Diseases
The workshop aims to broaden participants’ understanding of topics such as mechanisms of pathogenicity, drug resistance, and pathogen-host interactions. It also intends to present tools to optimise drug development and expand access to these techniques in the region, contributing to local scientific training.
The event organiser and researcher at Fiocruz Ceará, Jaime Ribeiro-Filho highlights the potential of the Cariri region. “Considering the history of research into new bioactive molecules in Cariri, especially within the biodiversity context of Chapada do Araripe, we want to expand the debate and strengthen strategic actions and scientific cooperation on this topic,” he says.
1st Introductory Course on Molecular Dynamics Applied to Pharmacology
The coordinator of the Fiocruz Scientific Computing Programme (PROCC), linked to the Vice-Presidency of Education, Information and Communication (VPEIC), and one of the instructors of the 1st Introductory Course on Molecular Dynamics Applied to Pharmacology, Ernesto Caffarena, highlights the course's educational role. “Our aim is that participants leave the course with the knowledge needed to set up and carry out a Molecular Dynamics simulation, visualise and interpret results, and analyse drug-receptor interactions. With this, we believe it is possible, for example, to accelerate the discovery of other potential therapeutic compounds,” says the researcher, who also serves as a principal co-investigator of The Global Health Network Latin America and the Caribbean (TGHN LAC) at Fiocruz.
Challenges of Molecular Dynamics
Researcher at Fiocruz Rondônia and instructor of the same course, Fernando Zanchi, emphasises that MD is a challenging technique, even for experienced users. “During the course, all protocols with detailed steps will be made available to participants, including command lists (scripts) that the teaching researchers use in their daily work. Moreover, our goal is to expand the research network on drug discovery by connecting the Amazon region, the Cariri in the Northeast, and Southeast Brazil,” he explains.
These initiatives are promoted by Fiocruz Ceará and TGHN LAC, linked to the Foundation through PROCC, in partnership with URCA, which is hosting the event. The action reinforces Fiocruz's commitment to promoting science in the interior of the country and strengthening interinstitutional and international research networks in health.
Interested in learning more about molecular dynamics and drug research? Join us!
Registration is free and can be completed via the online form:
👉 Registration form (only in Portuguese)
Event information
📍 Venue: Regional University of Cariri – Pimenta Campus, Crato-CE
📅 Date: 26 to 30 May 2025
🎯 Target audience: students and professionals in health and biological sciences
💬 Language: Portuguese | Format: in-person
📩 More information: TGHN LAC website