The RePo-SUDOE project has launched an initiative aimed at bringing science and technology closer to students, researchers and the general public by promoting awareness of drug repurposing, a strategy that seeks new therapeutic uses for medicines that are already approved or in advanced stages of development. This approach accelerates the arrival of innovative treatments, but the project places particular emphasis on the technology that makes it possible and on the importance of helping society understand these advancements.
Within this framework, RePo-Edu emerges as an open-source educational tool designed to make it easier to understand the biological systems and molecules involved in drug development and repurposing. The platform, available for free at repo-edu.citic.udc.es, allows users to explore 3D molecular structures—rotating them, zooming in, and changing their representation mode—turning scientific visualization into an accessible, interactive and highly educational experience.
The project is enriched by study visits to 3D Visualization Rooms installed in partner institutions, such as the IPG in Guarda (Portugal). These immersive experiences allow participants to discover first-hand how STEAM technologies are applied in the biomedical field, bringing young people closer to the work carried out in higher education and research institutions and fostering early interest in health innovation and the development of new treatments.
RePo-Edu and its associated activities offer significant benefits to educational centres, which can provide their students with advanced scientific experiences, and to students in fields such as Biotechnology, Pharmacy or Nursing, for whom this tool becomes a valuable asset for their future careers. Furthermore, the initiative helps revitalise low-density regions through the implementation of technology and knowledge. With this proposal, RePo-SUDOE brings modern science closer to society and promotes a more open and participatory scientific culture.