Modern scientific discovery rarely depends on the achievements of a single individual. Instead, it thrives in environments where interdisciplinary collaboration, shared knowledge, and collective expertise are valued. The Wellcome Trust has been a leader in this research culture movement through initiatives including the Drug Discovery and Team Science Doctoral Training Programme (DTP) at the University of Nottingham. In this article, we explore how this DTP champions team science; enhances the effectiveness of drug discovery (in this case, for pain and addiction studies), and transforms doctoral training through robust financial support and training, fostering diversity, and preparing researchers for collaborative careers.
Current landscape
Research institutions and Universities are facing a growing challenge as postdoctoral researchers increasingly opt for careers outside academia, leaving even top scientists struggling to fill vacant positions with qualified candidates. A professor at the University of Cambridge reported being unable to fill a vacancy after receiving under 20% of the expected applications for a postdoctoral position, highlighting a dramatic shift in the scientific job market.
In light of this, it is essential that doctoral training not only equips researchers with the necessary skills, but also fosters a passion for scientific discovery. Highlighting the potential of rewarding scientific careers and preparing researchers for diverse career paths in science. Historically, academic research has been an individualistic process, where early-career researchers become rapidly confined to highly specialised fields that cater to academic careers. This approach advantageously produces experts in the field but often lacks opportunities for teamwork and training in a diversity of skills, leaving scientists underprepared for alternative career paths.
A model to train future researchers
The Wellcome Trust DTP in Drug Discovery and Team Science seeks to dismantle this isolation, encouraging a collaborative approach to research with a focus on professional development and a broad training program in the field of drug discovery. Instead of working in silos, researchers work in teams of students and supervisors from diverse scientific fields organised within a structured, team-based model. Five annual cohorts of four PhD students undertake their studies on a unified research theme; for example, our cohort, starting in 2021, focuses its research on issues surrounding pain and addiction. Each student then approaches drug discovery through distinct, yet complementary scientific lenses, including:
- Target Engagement: Developing and investigating drugs and how they interact with their biological targets.
- Cellular Environment: Studying the impact of cellular contexts on drug efficacy and safety.
- In Vivo and Ex Vivo Models: Providing critical insights into drug effects in living organisms and experimental systems.
- Full Systems Biology: Computational and mathematical analysis and modelling of complex biological systems.
This model not only brings together students specialising in different disciplines, but also builds a foundation for team science, encouraging students to actively contribute to other projects from their unique disciplinary perspectives while benefiting from mentorship from more experienced peers.
Promoting collaboration
The DTP promotes the formation of a close-knit community from the very start. For example, monthly meetings for students and supervisors, group training courses, as well as annual retreats in non-academic settings, all provide opportunities for team building, sharing expertise and the discussion of ideas. Current students also actively participate in the interview process for new recruits, a unique approach that ensures community values remain at the forefront of the programme.
Emphasising diversity
Whilst engaging a broad range of scientific disciplines is essential for solving complex problems, embracing a wide range of perspectives is equally important. As such, the selection process for this DTP prioritises the recruitment of students from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and experiences, taking into consideration the dynamics of the entire cohort. These initiatives foster an inclusive research environment where diverse backgrounds drive innovative solutions.
Customised training opportunities.
The DTP benefits from comprehensive financial support. In addition to the student’s stipend and generous research consumables, the programme offers training grants for individual development, technical research training and a flexible transition fund. This is a student led initiative designed to assist the individual as they transition into the next stage of their career after the doctoral process.
The programme has evolved to incorporate training in essential soft skills, such as leadership, entrepreneurship, and collaboration. This was often for both students and supervisors to dissolve conventional barriers. By investing in both academic and professional development, the DTP gives students the skills and confidence needed to guarantee their impact on public health in the future.
Our case study: the ‘Pain and Addiction cohort
Pain and addiction research highlights the complexities inherent in drug development, such as balancing efficacy with safety, managing side effects, and identifying novel therapeutic targets. We have investigated various therapeutic targets and explored the mechanisms of action of current analgesics through approaches like medicinal chemistry,
in vivo pharmacology, systems biology, and
ex vivo disease models. Collaborating with preceding cohorts and with each other from the outset has broadened our methodologies, perspectives, and enabled us to gain a more holistic understanding of our research areas.
For instance, Lauren reflects: “As part of a multidisciplinary program, I’ve collaborated with peers and supervisors across fields, enriching my research on opioid tolerance in both in vivo and in vitro studies. This has given me access to valuable equipment, techniques, and expertise, while fostering support and a more holistic understanding of my work”
With a year remaining, we are actively seeking further opportunities to collaborate, build on each other's findings, and tackle research challenges together, while also mentoring peers in newer cohorts. We are completing our PhDs with a strong network of colleagues, a broad understanding of drug discovery, and expertise in a variety of techniques central to the complex field of pain and addiction research.
Room to grow
While the Wellcome Trust DTP embodies many aspects of a modern research culture, opportunities for continued development remain.. Further integration of clinical research and perspectives within the team science approach would streamline drug development by ensuring preclinical findings are aligned with real-world need. This would increase the likelihood of successfully navigating clinical trials to deliver effective treatments to patients and should be championed by future DTPs.
In Summary
By prioritising team science, collaboration, and personal growth, the Wellcome Trust Drug Discovery and Team Science DTP provides a model and a benchmark for future postgraduate training. Through implementing a structured training programme, generous funding, and a strong community ethos, the programme is not only shaping successful biomedical careers but also redefining how research is done.
Team science shouldn’t end with this DTP. It thrives in open doors, corridor conversations, coffee catchups, and shared research goals and equipment. This initiative is about more than producing PhD graduates; it's cultivating a generation of scientists who are not just technically skilled, but adept collaborators, communicators, and innovators. With this mindset and broad network, researchers are equipped to lead breakthroughs in drug discovery and beyond.
We would like to thank Professors Meritxell Canals (2021 Cohort Lead) and Jeanette Woolard (Programme Director) for their instrumental role in the Doctoral Training Partnership.Comments
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