The discoveries in science are not always determined by the strict formulation and testing of a formal hypothesis. Quite often, they involve serendipity and the luck of being in the right place and time, followed by a curiosity and willingness to change the direction of an experiment. This is especially true in the field of drug discoveries. The first antibiotic, penicillin, was discovered in the late 1920s by Dr. Alexander Fleming, who found a mold colony growing on a culture of bacteria that was wiping out the bacteria. He isolated the active ingredient that eventually launched the era of antibiotics. The search for new drugs to treat infections and cancer has been a continuous focus since that time. Even though the detailed science of testing a drug and working out its chemical structure and action required sophisticated scientific technology, the first and most important part of discovery often lies in a keen eye and an open mind. ...
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