Q&A with Damilola Olukorede: Using AI to Streamline Development of New Antibacterial Drugs

Growing up in Nigeria, Damilola Olukorede often saw plants used as medicines. Then while pursuing her pharmacy degree, she took a course focused on drug development with medicinal plants that inspired her to change her career trajectory from dispensing drugs to designing them.

Now a third‑year PhD student at the University of Michigan, Olukorede received a PhRMA Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship in Drug Discovery for her research to improve the process for making new antibacterial drugs derived from natural sources like plants.

Olukorede is focusing on a step in the drug development process where enzymes serve as a fastener that connects the ends of the molecule to form a ring. This cyclic structure is what gives the drug much of its medical activity. She will use artificial intelligence and data‑science approaches to design new enzymes that will make this part of the process more efficient and less reliant on trial and error.

Watch this video to learn more about Olukorede and her research.