Healing creativity

Creativity finds its space and adds value even in a highly regulated and scientific field such as medicine. It helps achieve new milestones, as toxicologist Barbara Deodato explains, and overcome old stigmas, as demonstrated by artist Malicia

A hypothesis must be formulated, a structure imagined, and finally, an innovative approach implemented: creating a new drug requires great creativity. Looking beyond the apparent uniformity of white lab coats, often seen as a cliché of the pharmaceutical sector, the extraordinary generative power embedded in this process becomes clear. To prevent excesses that might distort or undermine the scientific rigour characterising the field, guidance is needed, the voice of an expert like Barbara Deodato.

La creatività nello sviluppo farmacologico

A doctor and specialist in toxicology with years of experience in laboratories around the world, Deodato understands how creativity is measured at every stage of pharmaceutical development. «It is not just about inventing new molecules», she explains, «but also about imagining innovative solutions to every challenge, from identifying therapeutic targets to drug formulation and clinical trial management».

The early phases require researchers to think more innovatively, translating science into effective and safe therapies. The first step demanding creativity is identifying a relevant biological target for a specific disease. «This is especially true for little-known conditions (as was the case with Covid-19) or complex diseases such as Alzheimer’s or multifactorial disorders», Deodato specifies. There is no standard process for discovering an enzyme, receptor, or gene involved in a pathological mechanism, and the same applies to the synthesis of new molecules:

«Every single time, we have to imagine new chemical structures that can interact effectively, stably, and safely with the target».

By increasing the dose of creativity, it is possible to go beyond traditional drugs, developing therapies based on cells, genes, or antibodies. Deodato cites CAR-T therapies¹, as an example, describing them as «an innovative approach in oncology where, in a laboratory, a patient’s T lymphocytes (responsible for immune responses) are genetically modified to selectively attack cancer cells», she explains. Even the final formulation of a drug cannot follow a default process: «Improving absorption, reducing administration frequency, enabling oral delivery, or developing controlled-release systems all require a creative approach». Without such innovation, extended-release insulins or nanoparticle-based drugs targeting tumours would not exist.

Thinking beyond traditional therapies

Drug development demands imagination at every stage and from everyone involved. Creativity is indispensable. Deodato explains that doctors and molecular biologists use creativity to uncover biological mechanisms underlying diseases and identify new therapeutic targets. Pharmaceutical chemistry researchers rely on it to design innovative molecules, enhance target affinity, and overcome stability and safety challenges. Even data scientists and bioinformaticians, often considered unlikely candidates for creative thinking, depend on it to harness big data, machine learning algorithms, and artificial intelligence for insights into new therapeutic approaches. As for concerns that technology might stifle creativity, Deodato responds that it does not, or rather, it depends», as always, on how we use it.

«When combined synergistically, creativity and technological innovation trigger a virtuous cycle that enables the development of cutting-edge drugs while optimising resources», she asserts.

One example of this synergy is molecular modelling, a set of computational techniques that allows rapid exploration of thousands of chemical compounds and simulation of drug-target interactions in the early phases of research. Again, creativity is essential for selecting hypotheses to test and identifying out-of-the-box solutions. Another example of “pharma-creativity” comes from the delicate field of oncology, specifically breast cancer treatment. Trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) belongs to the class of antibody-drug conjugates² (ADCs), so named because «they combine a monoclonal antibody with a chemotherapeutic agent», Deodato explains. «The antibody recognises and binds to a specific target on the surface of tumour cells, and the antibody-drug complex is internalised within the cell, where the anti-cancer agent disrupts critical cellular processes, preventing tumour growth». In this highly scientific complexity, creativity plays a role in combining molecules within a single drug to enhance efficacy, improve selectivity, and reduce side effects.

Looking at medicine and therapy more broadly, it is clear that future challenges cannot be met without the courage and ability to think creatively. Deodato highlights gender and personalised medicine as key areas, both requiring innovative approaches to develop or adapt therapies based on patients’ individual characteristics.

«It is crucial to think critically to identify biological and non-biological differences between men and women (hormonal, metabolic, genetic, environmental) that can influence drug responses, as well as those related to genetic and molecular profiles or individual clinical conditions», she explains.

Deodato further clarifies: «Only through creativity can we develop targeted therapies for specific patient subgroups or individuals and design drugs with dosage and formulations tailored to each gender».

Art as a means of overcoming addiction

Everyone has their own therapy: those created with tangible substances and those crafted from thoughts, emotions, intentions, and dreams. Equally essential, they do not emerge from the same laboratories but require just as much creativity to be truly effective. Art, for instance, as seen in the case of Malicia, a Spanish graffiti artist who, in 2018, launched art workshops for a group of women struggling with drug addiction in a Barcelona neighbourhood.

Part of a broader intervention programme, this initiative was not merely an “artistic touch” but a decisive element in the participants’ journeys. Di tutte le persone coinvolte. «I created a space for each of them to express their experiences through graffiti, it became an outlet», she says. «Working with art in deeply painful contexts, where society has abandoned these women, where they have suffered violence and received little support, made them feel heard. It gave them moments of relief and calm. Moments that distracted them from the urge to consume drugs or harm themselves further».

An excess of chemicals may be harmful, but creativity, this time in the form of paint, was never too much. It revealed to the women «their unexpressed abilities and the many opportunities still ahead of them», Malicia recalls, still moved by this first experience of art as a therapeutic and social tool. A project that enriched her personally, as a woman, «showing me that we had far more in common than I had imagined, and teaching me lessons I had not considered in a long time». And, as an artist, «making me realise the deep political and social ties of my work».

«I want my art to become a weapon for exposing and fighting injustices that others refuse to acknowledge».

Life beyond stigma

The 2018 project, the first of many, remains for Malicia «one of the most exciting and formative experiences of my life, where I learned the most and connected with many different realities», she recounts. Many more followed, especially in collaboration with the European programme Euron Pud³ and a group of activists advocating for the rights of drug users.

«We organised demonstrations and campaigns to represent them, to highlight the existence of both legal and illegal drugs, and to fight stigma, condemnation, and persecution», she explains. «I have worked specifically on naloxone use, also used to prevent haemorrhages, and on the safe use of drugs to reduce harm». Given full creative freedom to depict both individuals and substances, Malicia soon realised that even imagery can perpetuate stigma. «It was a challenge, but I enjoyed it immensely. It was a huge awareness-building journey, and over time, I felt increasingly comfortable», she admits.

«I have now firmly decided that my art must be critical and must not leave people indifferent. I want it to be a weapon against all forms of inequality and injustice, including those in healthcare».

1. An in-depth look at CAR(T) therapies from the Italian Medicines Agency: https://www.aifa.gov.it/documents/20142/0/Terapie_CAR-T.pdf ↩︎
2. A study on the future of antibody-drug conjugates: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39272947/ ↩︎
3. What the EU’s dedicated project to support drug abusers is for and how it is progressing: https://www.euronpud.net/ ↩︎