ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Drug discovery

Drug discovery is like finding hidden treasure for the body. It is the process of searching and creating new medicines that can treat different diseases and illnesses.

Just like how you might use a map to find treasure, scientists use special tools and techniques to find the right medicine to cure a particular disease. They start by learning as much as they can about the disease they want to treat. Then, they search for molecules - tiny pieces that can make up a medicine - that might work to fight against the disease.

Once they find a molecule that seems promising, they test it over and over again to make sure it can fight the disease without hurting the body. They look at the molecule under microscopes to see what it looks like, and they even try to make it stronger or safer by changing some of its parts.

When they have a molecule that they think can work, they try it out on cells and animals to see how it affects them. If it works well and doesn't hurt the cells, then they move on to testing it on people.

Drug discovery is like a long, complicated puzzle. Scientists have to work hard to find the right pieces and put them together just right to make a safe and effective medicine. And when they're successful, they've found the ultimate treasure - a cure for a disease.