On Thursday, September 18, 2025, the College of Pharmacy at Gulf Medical University hosted an online faculty research seminar delivered by Dr. Marawan Ahmed, PhD., Co-Founder of Stealth Mode Biotech, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The session was attended by faculty members from the Pharmaceutical Sciences Department and candidates from the Master’s in Drug Discovery and Development program.
Titled “AI in Small Molecule Drug Discovery Beyond Academia: An Industry Perspective”, the seminar highlighted the transformative role of artificial intelligence in accelerating small-molecule drug discovery, with insights drawn from industry applications. Dr. Marawan Ahmed discussed his journey across academia and biotech, emphasizing the integration of quantum chemistry, molecular modeling, chemoinformatics, and machine learning into drug discovery pipelines. He showcased real-world applications from his work in industry, including AI-driven platforms designed to tackle pressing challenges such as antibacterial resistance. The seminar concluded with an engaging discussion, where faculty members and MDD candidates interacted with Dr. Ahmed on the future of AI in drug discovery. The dialogue provided participants with valuable perspectives on how cutting-edge computational methods can bridge the gap between academic research and industrial innovation in pharmaceutical development.
