New center will future-proof education of experts to Danish life science

The pharmaceutical sciences programmes in Denmark are at a high, international level, and now research-based teaching is being introduced that integrates data science into the education of students. This means that graduates will also have skills and knowledge of methods from the data science field in the future.

With a total uptake of more than 300 bachelor and 300 master students each year in the pharmaceutical sciences programmes at the University of Copenhagen and the University of Southern Denmark, the center’s efforts will provide unique opportunities for many future students. This also applies to Danish life science in the areas of research, innovation and industry.

The vision of the center is that pharmaceutical data science becomes a catalyst for life science and healthcare strongholds. The center will develop state-of-the-art research-based education for the students, who will thereby be able to navigate efficiently between both the pharmaceutical sciences and data science.

Interim Head of Center, Professor Jette Sandholm Kastrup says:

"We have been working for a long time to get this center up and running and are very grateful for the great support from the three foundations. The center will play a crucial role in future-proofing our pharmaceutical sciences programmes, to prepare our graduates for a labour market that introduces data science and artificial intelligence with an exponential speed. I am very much looking forward to developing pharmaceutical data science in close collaboration between the two universities and the employers of our graduates."

The new Center for Pharmaceutical Data Science Education (CPDSE) is supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the Lundbeck Foundation and the LEO Foundation with DKK 123 million over a six-year period. The center will be hosted by the Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, and as one of the center’s first activities, a Head of Center is to be recruited.

From the University of Southern Denmark, Interim Deputy Head of Center Professor Jacob Kongsted says:

"I see the center initiative as being strategically extremely important. The development in data science is moving incredibly fast and will change the way we work in the future – especially in drug development and design. For me, it is crucial that we educate young people with the right and contemporary skills. Here, data science will play an even greater role in the future."

"Pharmaceutical data science" – a fusion of two disciplines for the benefit of many

Artificial intelligence, machine learning and the use of big data open a huge area of knowledge, new data sources and methods, which should be integrated in the best possible way in the pharmaceutical sciences education.

This transformation towards data-driven solutions in society is entirely dependent on academically trained graduates with the necessary skills.

In the educational programmes, the new center will ensure the students' qualifications in data science by upgrading relevant compulsory bachelor's and master's courses. Furthermore, the center will establish completely new courses in pharmaceutical data science at all levels of the programmes, also for the benefit of students from many other programmes.

Excitement and optimism at the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the Lundbeck Foundation and the LEO Foundation

From the three foundations' point of view, the establishment of the Center for Pharmaceutical Data Science Education is both a source of excitement and calls for great expectations for the future pharmaceutical sciences experts in Denmark.

From the Novo Nordisk Foundation, Berith Bjørnholm, Senior Vice President for Education & Outreach, says:

"Denmark is dependent on a highly qualified labour force, and therefore it is important that we continuously ensure the quality of our university education. By linking data science with pharmacy, the new center will contribute to strengthening a field of knowledge within life science that is developing rapidly. As the training offered by the center will be available to a wide range of programmes, it will ultimately benefit our entire ecosystem around health sciences and drug development. Therefore, we are very happy to support this initiative."

From the Lundbeck Foundation, Jan Egebjerg, Senior Vice President, says:

"Being able to handle the enormous amount of available data, from molecule to patient, will create the healthcare solutions of the future. CPDSE represents a unique research-based programme that merges data science and pharmaceutical sciences. The programme will be an important contribution to future-proofing Denmark's position as an international leader in pharmaceutical data science."

From the LEO Foundation, Anne-Marie Engel, Chief Scientific Officer, says:

"Data science is revolutionizing all aspects of research and knowledge and has the potential to change our society. However, applying it requires deep insight into the methods behind it. Therefore, it is absolutely crucial for us that the LEO Foundation's grant helps to better prepare the future Danish pharmacists, so that they can contribute positively to the digital transformation and create better health solutions in Denmark and internationally."