Simulations Plus

Back in 1974, Stewart Brand’s advice was to “stay hungry, stay foolish,” as a way of bringing a beginner’s mind to new challenges. He still follows that advice, and he now says, “The phrase allows you to open your mind and explore. It means putting aside the explanations provided by social constructs and ideologies.”

Chapter 3 of 3. Need to catch up? Read the previous post in this series about scientific workflows.

In the same way that the guillotine concentrates the senses, the need to improve productivity in the pharmaceutical industry has become a life-or-death imperative. Improving productivity does not mean working harder and faster while doing the same job as before. Improving productivity lies in innovation—in the technology and processes that clever minds bring into existence. Moreover, what this innovation must accomplish is vividly clear. We must reduce the time and cost of drug development; increase the probability of successful experiments; and bring better drugs to the marketplace.

Answer: We don’t really understand the requirements of the process.

Chapter 2 of 3. Need to catch up? Read the previous post in this series about scientific workflows.

Scientific research requires two kinds of effort. One is the generation and synthesis of original ideas by skilled practitioners. This is a desirable and often lauded talent that can spawn remarkable innovations in science and medical care. The second kind of effort is less visible, but equally important—the hard work required to turn an idea into reality. Executing the experiments, analyzing the data, and developing presentations of results are examples of this work. Although these latter efforts are necessary, and even enjoyable, they nonetheless can be tedious, time-consuming, and expensive.