Drug Discovery Unit
We translate basic science into lead compounds to validate putative drug targets, to use as tools to investigate disease pathways and, when appropriate, advance to pre-clinical drug candidates.

We work to biotech style philosophy and standards incorporating, dynamic, goal driven project management based on target product profiles and compound selection criteria. Our major research themes are:
- neglected tropical diseases
- innovative targets and pathways
The DDU has all of the capabilities required for:
- early phase drug discovery
- assay development
- high throughput screening
- cell biology
- medicinal chemistry
- structural biology
- computational chemistry
- DMPK
All of these capabilities operate under one management structure to ensure an integrated approach and rapid progress.
Currently the team is about 120 people and includes substantial experience from the pharmaceutical/ biotech sector. This website contains details of current programmes and supporting infrastructure.
Head of Unit
person

Executive
person

person

person

person

person

person

person

person

person
Leadership
Name | Role | |
---|---|---|
Dr Laura Cleghorn | TB Portfolio Manager | [email protected] |
Dr Vincent Postis | Molecular Interaction Team Leader | [email protected] |
Dr Gary Tarver | Synthetic Methodologies Team Leader | [email protected] |
Dr Duncan Scott | Team Leader | [email protected] |
Publications
Stories
Press release
The University of Dundee’s Drug Discovery Unit (DDU) is to share in €1.5 million funding as part of a consortium of African and European research institutions seeking to tackle pressing public health challenges

Press release
A project led by scientists at the University of Dundee’s School of Life Sciences and School of Medicine has been selected for the 2025 SPARK NS Translational award, aimed at accelerating scientific discoveries in Parkinson’s disease to reach patients

Press release
A fatal disease that can infect humans years before killing its unwitting host is to be targeted by University of Dundee experts
