The Drug Discovery & Innovation HUB Project Completion Planner is designed to help Pharm-D students and teams systematically complete their research and innovation projects within the prescribed timeline.
The planner provides students with clear goals, weekly tasks, deliverables, deadlines and academic checkpoints, supporting both the In-House Competition and Mid-Term Project evaluation requirements.
By completing the Drug Discovery & Innovation HUB project, students should be able to:
Identify and investigate meaningful problems.
Interpret scientific evidence and data.
Assess evidence, feasibility, risks and impact.
Develop creative pharmaceutical solutions.
Work effectively within multidisciplinary teams.
Present and defend research ideas professionally.
Identify limitations and opportunities for improvement.
Transform creative ideas into innovative pharmaceutical and healthcare solutions through structured research and problem-solving.
Develop evidence-based research skills through literature review, scientific investigation, data collection and critical analysis.
Explore the journey from identifying healthcare problems to designing, evaluating and developing potential pharmaceutical solutions.
Integrate Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, digital tools and modern technologies into pharmaceutical research and innovation.
Build teamwork, communication, leadership and interdisciplinary collaboration skills through team-based research projects.
Showcase research through In-House Competitions, Innovation Day, project presentations and expert evaluation focused on real-world impact.
A month-by-month roadmap from ideation to final presentation and viva.
Goal: Select a research topic, define the problem and establish a strong research foundation.
Responsible: All Team Members + Team Leader
Goal: Develop a detailed methodology and initiate preliminary research work.
Responsible: Team Leader + Faculty Mentor
Goal: Develop reliable datasets and begin critical analysis of findings.
Responsible: Research Leader + Faculty Mentor
Goal: Prepare draft reports for academic review and feedback.
Responsible: All Team Members
Goal: Improve the project reports and prepare for final presentation.
Responsible: Team Leader + Faculty Mentor
Goal: Complete final submission and demonstrate the project through presentation and viva.
Responsible: All Team Members + Faculty Mentor + Research Leader
The HUB uses structured assessment criteria to evaluate students’ research, innovation, scientific reasoning, communication and teamwork.
| Originality of Idea | 15 |
| Problem Identification & Relevance | 10 |
| Innovation in Methodology | 10 |
| Scientific Rationale & Feasibility | 15 |
| Impact & Practical Application | 20 |
| Interdisciplinary Integration | 10 |
| Critical Thinking & Risk Analysis | 10 |
| Presentation & Communication | 10 |
| Total | 100 |
| Project | 20 |
| Viva | 10 |
| Molecular Study Design | 15 |
| Innovation Day Pitch Presentation | 15 |
| Teamwork | 20 |
| Peer/Expert Feedback | 20 |
| Total | 100 |
The final weightage should be applied according to the approved institutional assessment policy.
Novel Concept or Hypothesis: The project introduces a new idea, method, product, model or approach relevant to pharmacy or healthcare.
Unique Perspective: The project provides a fresh perspective or proposes an improved approach to an existing pharmaceutical, clinical or healthcare problem.
Real-World Problem: The project clearly identifies an important pharmaceutical, healthcare, clinical or community problem.
Relevance to Pharmacy: The project demonstrates relevance to areas such as:
Creative Research Approach: Students demonstrate creativity in their research methods, models, experimental design or problem-solving approach.
Technology Integration: Where appropriate, projects may incorporate:
Evidence-Based Thinking: The research rationale should be supported by credible scientific literature, research evidence, guidelines or relevant academic sources.
Feasibility: The proposed innovation should be realistically testable, implementable or scalable within available resources and ethical requirements.
Potential Health Impact: The project should demonstrate potential benefits for:
Scalability & Sustainability: Students should consider whether the innovation can be adapted, expanded or sustained beyond the initial project setting.
Cross-Disciplinary Innovation: Students are encouraged to integrate pharmacy with relevant fields such as:
Collaborative Thinking: The project should demonstrate effective teamwork and, where appropriate, collaboration with other healthcare or scientific disciplines.
Identification of Limitations: Students should recognize the limitations, uncertainties, ethical considerations and potential risks associated with their project.
Problem-Solving: Students should propose realistic strategies for overcoming anticipated challenges and improving the feasibility of their innovation.
Clear Communication: Students should communicate their research idea, methodology, findings and innovation in a logical, concise and convincing manner.
Visuals & Prototypes: Where applicable, students are encouraged to use:
Each evaluation criterion may be assessed using a standardized 1–5 performance scale to provide transparent and consistent feedback.
Students may present their innovation in a "Shark Tank-style" pitch format, demonstrating:
Where feasible, projects may be evaluated or reviewed by faculty members, industry professionals, clinical experts, researchers or other relevant subject specialists — providing real-world feedback and strengthening professional relevance.
Identify and investigate meaningful problems.
Interpret scientific evidence and data.
Assess evidence, feasibility, risks and impact.
Develop creative pharmaceutical solutions.
Work effectively within multidisciplinary teams.
Present and defend research ideas professionally.
Identify limitations and opportunities for improvement.
Have a question? Reach out to Darsons Institute — we’re happy to help.
