Derek Lowe
An Arkansan by birth, Derek got his BA from Hendrix College and his PhD in organic chemistry from Duke before spending time in Germany on a Humboldt Fellowship on his post-doc. He’s worked for several major pharmaceutical companies since 1989 on drug discovery projects against schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, osteoporosis and other diseases.
Derek writes the popular blog In the pipeline on drug discovery and the pharma industry.
OpinionMake room for randomness in drug development
Setting free the dark horses sometimes beats the most rational planning
OpinionMaking enough of a difference
What if the needle in the drug development haystack ends up being too small to be useful?
OpinionUnpicking a clinical trial death
A new study shows up off-target effects of a drug that proved deadly, and highlights the pitfalls of drug discovery
OpinionHow safe should drugs be?
What does spotting new risks in approved medicines say about how effective regulators are?
OpinionAlternate chemical realities
What would chemistry look like if key discoveries had happened differently?
OpinionHow does being a chemist change your view on the world?
Scientific knowledge and analysis shape our view, but can also be selectively ignored
OpinionOutlines of ignorance
There’s a lot about chemistry that we just don’t understand very well yet
OpinionDrug regulation is a burden worth bearing
Calls to break down regulatory barriers show a misunderstanding of the industry
OpinionHow much does fashion influence chemists?
Is that new reaction the next Nobel-worthy breakthrough, or just a flash in the pan?
CareersThe trials and tribulations of drug discovery
The many pitfalls medicinal chemists face when creating a new drug
OpinionPutting chemistry back in biology
The chemical nature of biomolecular interactions can no longer be ignored
OpinionSlimmer synthesis
Atom economy is a noble aim, but there are other routes to efficient molecule making
OpinionDon’t fear the Crispr
Does simple gene-editing mean the end of traditional medicinal chemistry? Probably not
OpinionNow you’re talking my language
Chemistry would be impossible without a hidden fluency that many of us don’t even realise we have, says Derek Lowe
OpinionLet's see that again
Has chemistry evaded the reproducibility crises affecting other branches of science? Or is it just a question of scale, asks Derek Lowe
OpinionBespoke or bodged
A can-do attitude and some lateral thinking can save time and money when it comes to exotic apparatus, says Derek Lowe
OpinionLab’s labourers lost?
How long should scientists stay at the bench, asks Derek Lowe. How long is a piece of string?
