Cancer pharmacology has greatly evolved in the last decades. The identification of novel therapeutic targets and treatment strategies, including monoclonal antibodies, immune checkpoint inhibitors, cell therapies, or anti-tumor vaccines, have revolutionized this field. These rapid changes represent an enormous challenge to the education and training of the next generation of health professionals and scientists.
The collection "Education in Pharmacology of Anti-Cancer Drugs" will focus on the challenges and innovative solutions to the education and training of early-stage researchers and health professionals within Pharmacology of Anti-Cancer Drugs. Some emerging and challenging topics that could be addressed include Pharmacogenomics and precision therapeutics, Cancer immunology, Bioinformatics, Repurposing of drugs, Clinical Pharmacology, Real-world evidence and data science, or the use of artificial intelligence to identify novel anticancer targets and discover novel drugs.
In parallel with the progress of Cancer Pharmacology, the paradigm of education has also shifted in recent years, in part prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Academic, social, technological, and economic forces drive the educational change. Regarding the education of healthcare professionals, innovation is imperative to address the professional interests and needs that will fit needs of future employers, which may fall outside the traditional competencies. The sources of information for (cancer) patients themselves have also multiplied in the last decade and health specialists now have to learn how to communicate to people who are influenced and possibly misled by pseudoscientific information. University curricula should adapt to better prepare students with the skills they will need to make a positive impact on health care. Given the everchanging healthcare environment, there will be rapidly changing competencies, creating the need for lifelong education. The use of digital tools, including virtual reality and gamification could become more relevant in cancer pharmacology education, contributing to increase students’ motivation and knowledge acquisition. Computational models and virtual reality can also help training young scientists to get familiar with experimental techniques commonly used in the research of anticancer drugs.
This collection aims to constitute a resource for investigators, lab managers, supervisors, educators, and health professionals within the field of cancer pharmacology. We welcome contributions in the form of original research, review, mini review, or perspective, that cover, but are not limited to, the following themes:
- emerging topics in Pharmacology of Anti-Cancer Drugs
- identification and correct use of adequate and predictive experimental models
- multidisciplinary approaches in cancer pharmacology
- digital tools in research, training and teaching in the area of pharmacology of anti-cancer drugs
- initiatives to educate cancer patients about their disease and treatments
- ethical aspects of teaching and research in cancer pharmacology
- pedagogical innovations in cancer pharmacology
Cancer pharmacology has greatly evolved in the last decades. The identification of novel therapeutic targets and treatment strategies, including monoclonal antibodies, immune checkpoint inhibitors, cell therapies, or anti-tumor vaccines, have revolutionized this field. These rapid changes represent an enormous challenge to the education and training of the next generation of health professionals and scientists.
The collection "Education in Pharmacology of Anti-Cancer Drugs" will focus on the challenges and innovative solutions to the education and training of early-stage researchers and health professionals within Pharmacology of Anti-Cancer Drugs. Some emerging and challenging topics that could be addressed include Pharmacogenomics and precision therapeutics, Cancer immunology, Bioinformatics, Repurposing of drugs, Clinical Pharmacology, Real-world evidence and data science, or the use of artificial intelligence to identify novel anticancer targets and discover novel drugs.
In parallel with the progress of Cancer Pharmacology, the paradigm of education has also shifted in recent years, in part prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Academic, social, technological, and economic forces drive the educational change. Regarding the education of healthcare professionals, innovation is imperative to address the professional interests and needs that will fit needs of future employers, which may fall outside the traditional competencies. The sources of information for (cancer) patients themselves have also multiplied in the last decade and health specialists now have to learn how to communicate to people who are influenced and possibly misled by pseudoscientific information. University curricula should adapt to better prepare students with the skills they will need to make a positive impact on health care. Given the everchanging healthcare environment, there will be rapidly changing competencies, creating the need for lifelong education. The use of digital tools, including virtual reality and gamification could become more relevant in cancer pharmacology education, contributing to increase students’ motivation and knowledge acquisition. Computational models and virtual reality can also help training young scientists to get familiar with experimental techniques commonly used in the research of anticancer drugs.
This collection aims to constitute a resource for investigators, lab managers, supervisors, educators, and health professionals within the field of cancer pharmacology. We welcome contributions in the form of original research, review, mini review, or perspective, that cover, but are not limited to, the following themes:
- emerging topics in Pharmacology of Anti-Cancer Drugs
- identification and correct use of adequate and predictive experimental models
- multidisciplinary approaches in cancer pharmacology
- digital tools in research, training and teaching in the area of pharmacology of anti-cancer drugs
- initiatives to educate cancer patients about their disease and treatments
- ethical aspects of teaching and research in cancer pharmacology
- pedagogical innovations in cancer pharmacology
