Chemoinformatics: a perspective from an academic setting in Latin America.

ABSTRACT

This perspective discusses the current progress of a chemoinformatics group in a major university in Latin America. Three major aspects are discussed in a critical manner research, education, and collaboration with industry and other public research networks. It is also presented an overview of the progress in applied research and development of research concepts. Efforts to teach chemoinformatics at the undergraduate and graduate levels are discussed. It is addressed how the partnership with industry and other not-for-profit research institutions not only brings additional sources of funding but, more importantly, increases the impact of the multidisciplinary work and offers the students to be exposed to other research environments. We also discuss the main perspectives and challenges that remain to be addressed in these settings.