UC San Diego Extended Studies Drug Discovery and Development Certificate Fills a Gap
Drug discovery is a long, expensive, and multi-faceted process—one that goes far beyond breakthroughs in the lab.
It requires experimentation to identify new drug possibilities hidden amongst mountains of research, rigorous testing of the new therapies for safety and efficacy, and strategically navigating the complex regulatory path to bring new drugs to market. It’s all a tremendous undertaking that doesn’t always end with success.
Yet, despite the challenges, the U.S. biotechnology industry is booming!
The overall market size is expected to grow from $552 billion in 2023 to nearly $1.8 trillion by 2033, according to Vision Research Reports.
This rapid growth is driven by technological advancements, rising investments, and increasing demand for new medications.
However, despite this expansion, a critical talent gap remains—particularly in people trained to understand the full scope of the drug discovery and development process, from beginning to end. This is not often covered in a university education, and it can take years of on-the-job experience to fully comprehend.
With billions of dollars and years of research at stake, professionals who understand the full scope of this process are crucial to the industry’s continued success.
As one potential solution, the University of California (UC) San Diego Division of Extended Studies offers a Drug Discovery and Development Certificate program. The program was designed to equip biotech professionals with industry-specific knowledge, helping them gain valuable insights, develop practical skills, and join an industry poised for continued growth.
Bridging the Gap Between Academia and Industry
A key objective of the UC San Diego Extended Studies Drug Discovery and Development Certificate program is to bridge the gap between academic training and the practical skills required to succeed in the biotech industry.
"The training in most university systems is very oriented toward academic research, which is great for new discoveries and expanding knowledge; but in the industry, we need discoveries that are not just new but also with the potential to be therapeutically useful," said Chris Larson, course developer and lead instructor in the program.
Larson himself is no stranger to this dilemma, having navigated it firsthand during his own career.
"When I teach this course, I tell the students, ‘Everything I'm teaching you, I learned on the job,'” he said. "Wouldn't it have been great if I could have had a class like this when I was a couple of years out of my postdoc?"
His experience learning critical industry knowledge on the job rather than in school inspired him to help develop the course. For Larson, formal training like the UC San Diego certificate program could have expedited his own professional journey.
"The goal of this program is to provide that specific training in how to think about and approach research questions with the goal of creating a new medicine in mind,” he said. “Even if you have great training in scientific techniques, it's hard to be successful in drug discovery if you don’t understand the big picture. It’s all about looking at a large set of novel findings and finding something useful that can become a new therapy.”
From the Lab to the Market: Big-Picture Training for Drug Discovery
This holistic approach to understanding the larger drug discovery process is crucial for preparing professionals to navigate a complex and ever-changing industry landscape.
Employers increasingly value individuals who can contribute beyond their niche roles, integrating their knowledge into broader project goals and seeing the global view. Depending on career goals, those pursuing this career path might find their options limited if they only ever develop an understanding of one part of the process.
“What I like about this program is that it's not trying to teach specific domain areas; it’s about making sure students understand the big picture of how everything fits together,” said Larson.
“The course is designed to give participants an overview of the entire process,” he continued. “It’s a strong primer for those wanting to step into more leadership or strategic roles in drug discovery and development.”
Through the program, participants gain exposure to the entire lifecycle of drug development, from basic research to commercialization. Courses cover essential stages such as target identification, experimental techniques, regulatory compliance, clinical trials, and market launch.
The program also incorporates emerging methodologies in areas like pharmacokinetics and ADMET (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, and Toxicology), providing participants with cutting-edge knowledge that is critical for staying competitive in the field.
An emphasis on problem-solving is woven throughout the curriculum as well, encouraging participants to think beyond their specific roles and adopt a more strategic, integrated approach to drug development.
Designed for Professionals at Every Career Stage
For those at different stages of their careers—whether transitioning from academia, moving laterally within the industry, or expanding their horizons into leadership roles—this program offers a comprehensive understanding of drug discovery.
“We imagined that people taking this course would be working professionals, postdocs, graduate students, or advanced undergraduates,” said Larson.
For current students, the course offers them a head start on the industry knowledge they’ll need to advance their careers.
For people already working in the industry, this program will broaden their exposure to all the options within their field. They’ll have a much better understanding of how what they do fits within the larger whole. This approach not only speeds up the learning curve for professionals in the industry but also prepares participants to step confidently into leadership and decision-making roles in the future.
Beyond the appeal to drug development professionals, this program also benefits those in adjacent fields such as patent law, quality assurance, and regulatory affairs—basically, anybody who could benefit from a deeper understanding of the drug discovery and development process.
“We've had participants like patent attorneys trying to better understand the full scope of drug discovery,” said Larson. “There's a lot of professional benefit for understanding the process as a whole.”
Shaping the Future of Biotech
Ultimately, this certificate is about preparing professionals for the evolving landscape of the biotech industry, benefiting both individuals and the industry.
In an industry defined by innovation and growth, equipping professionals with the right skills is more than a competitive advantage—it’s essential for shaping the future of medicine.
“There’s always a demand for people who can make meaningful contributions,” said Larson. “The demand for innovative drug solutions is not going to go away. The industry will be able to absorb as many skilled workers as the educational system can produce.”
Conclusion
For academics and professionals ready to advance their expertise, the Drug Discovery and Development Certificate from UC San Diego Extended Studies offers the knowledge and skills to make a real impact in this rapidly evolving field.
The program is designed to equip participants with a comprehensive understanding of the drug discovery and development process, to provide specialized knowledge in pharmacology and the ADMET (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, and Toxicology) process of drugs, to train participants in the clinical trial processes and their significance in drug development, to familiarize participants with the regulatory and compliance aspects of the pharmaceutical industry, and to explore emerging trends and future prospects in drug discovery and development.
Visit extendedstudies.ucsd.edu/drug-discovery, or contact appliedscience@ucsd.edu to learn more.