Starting a PhD journey is filled with mixed feelings of excitement and uncertainties for most people. More often than acknowledged, the uncertainty curve gets twisted frequently, and this is very apparent in the conceptualization stage of the journey (first year). One thing that tends to relieve the anxiety and pressure is getting to interact with fellow scholars and academics wrestling with difficult concepts during the PhD journey. This is where training programs like the Florida Winter School (FWS) do a great deal of not only equipping PhD students with the necessary ‘hard’ skills, but also foster a (comforting) understanding that the anxieties and challenges faced by PhD scholars are almost universal no matter the University or background professional training. The training program brought together PhD students with diverse professional and work experiences spanning healthcare, academia, and industry. Hailing from the global south where modeling is still a growing field, we were not sure what to expect right from the travel experience, but rather motivated by the seemingly flawless organization of the event and the exceptional line-up of tutors delivering the training sessions. Through this strong multidisciplinary presence, the FWS provides an excellent opportunity to widen one’s collaborative network across diverse clinical pharmacology practice settings.
The FWS is an annual training program hosted at the Centre for Pharmacometrics and Systems Pharmacology, at the University of Florida (UF) College of Pharmacy. We are grateful for the support by Pharmacometrics Africa through the MILK-PBPK grant funded by the Gates Foundation to participate in the 5-day transformational FWS 2025 edition (FWS2025). We had the opportunity to closely interact with fellow PhD scholars and academics. The excellent guidance and support offered by the UF organizing team ensured the logistics were taken care of, with daily communications and open lines of support by Milena Ozimek. Traveling with three other scholars made it easier to navigate the trans-continental travel challenges, ensuring that we maximized the opportunity to create more meaningful friendships and network with fellow PhDs and Professors while in Florida.
It was rewarding to meet an exciting and passionate team of Professors, led by Prof. Stephan Schmidt Every day of the program was filled with insightful experiences, getting to know the experts in their dedicated fields and having immersive one-on-one sessions with fellow scholars and the Professors.
The days were packed, given the content that was to be covered. The first day was dedicated to scoping quantitative pharmacology as a way to introduce PBPK and the role of tools such as machine learning in enhancing workflow. The highlight was Professor Lawrence Lesko’s final lecture of the day. We were interested to learn that he had been instrumental in mentoring some of our role models such as Stephan Schmidt and Ping Zhao in the field of Pharmacometrics. He stepped away from the “hard” science of modelling and focused on the softer skills that make modelling an art, a way of communicating / sharing a story. Just like human beings have a life-course – from an infant to a child, growing into adolescence and finally adulthood, modelling tells us about a drug’s life story, how it is morphed from a “poison” to a “cure”, through rigorous changes out with and inside the body. He reminded us of the importance of communication, collaboration and curiosity, guiding principles in establishing and maintaining a career in quantitative pharmacology. Subsequent days were then dedicated to refreshing our knowledge of principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and how this information should be translated for use in quantitative sciences. The tutors brought in a wide range of knowledge and perspectives from academia, industry and regulatory agencies, ensuring we maintained a well-rounded understanding of PBPK modelling as a predictive and mechanistic tool.
One of the most valuable aspects of the Winter School was the continued networking it facilitated. The interactions with fellow scholars and professors, like Professor Francine J Azeredo has extended beyond the event itself, providing opportunities for future collaborations. Platforms like LinkedIn have become spaces for ongoing dialogue, sharing research milestones, and celebrating academic achievements. The journey to making a difference in the field of Pharmacometrics is underway, even as we reflect on the enriching experiences and invaluable lessons from the Florida Winter School. Perhaps the most profound take home is that a successful modeling career is highly contingent upon appreciating PBPK model systems, workflows, the need for a vibrant multi-disciplinary community, and a relentless pursuit for new knowledge. It was very beneficial to interact with all the scholars who were part of this experience and brought in their diverse skill sets. This served as a reminder to heed Professor Lesko’s talk, that we should seek out opportunities to collaborate and sharpen our skills for the future holds promise for endless possibilities.
We are thankful to our sponsors – Pharmacometrics Africa and the Gates Foundation through the MILK-PBPK grant at the infectious Diseases Institute for the financial and moral support to travel and participate in the #FWS2025 in Florida. Participating in such prestigious events would not be possible without the constant support and mentorship at Pharmacometrics Africa, led by our founding father Collin Pillai and Professor Catriona Waitt. Their endeavors continue to shape and inspire our growth in ways unimaginable. Prof. Catriona’s admirable ability to network is evident by the numerous global opportunities that PhD scholars at Infectious Diseases Institute have had the privilege to participate in during the last years. The trip to Florida would not have been possible without your support.
Martin Mutaka & Henry Enzama (MSc Pharmacology, Makerere University)
Davies Otieno, & Joshua Kiptoo (PBPK PhD scholars, IDI, Makerere University)