Design and rationale of an interactive training resource in pharmacogenomics: an eLearning portal developed by the UK Centre of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation in Pharmacogenomics (CERSI-PGx)
Pharmacogenomics (PGx) can improve medicines safety and efficacy, but knowledge and training remain a barrier to implementation. Accessible educational resources are needed to support the effective integration of PGx into regulatory decision-making and clinical practice. The aim is to describe the development and early outcomes of the CERSI-PGx eLearning portal, designed to address pharmacogenomics training needs identified by UK medicines regulators. Co-developed with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the portal was informed by workshops, surveys and stakeholder feedback. Hosted on the British Pharmacological Society assessment platform, it offers ten stand-alone modules incorporating videos, interactive exercises, case studies, self-assessment questions and links to further reading. Topics include foundational genomics, evidence grading, regulatory evaluation and post-marketing surveillance. Since its launch in December 2025, the portal had attracted 284 unique learners by July 2026. Overall module completion was 46%, with a mean engagement time of 37 minutes per module. The mean user rating was 4.88/5 with 96% of users agreeing that modules increased their PGx knowledge, and 100% considered the training worthwhile. Qualitative feedback highlighted the value of interactive activities, videos and worked case studies. The CERSI-PGx portal offers a flexible, regulator-informed approach to pharmacogenomics education. Early findings indicate positive user experience and engagement. Further evaluation is needed to establish its impact on knowledge acquisition, retention and use in regulatory practice.
Authors
- Munir Pirmohamed (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7534-7266)
- Emma Forton Magavern (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0699-6411)
- Maria Tsakiroglou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7946-3953)
- Jerry Ye Aung Kyaw (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7988-0615)
- Rebecca L. Jensen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1134-2869)
- Angela Cucchi
- Kemi Webster
- Nicola Williams
- Karim Akhtar
- shareen Doak
- Harriet Kotta
- Peter Wright
- Jocelyn Richards
- Kathryn Banham
Institutions
- University of Liverpool (GB)
Publication Details
- Published
- 2026-10-29
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.22541/authorea.15011270/v1
- Primary Topic
- Pharmacogenetics and Drug Metabolism
- Type
- preprint
Funders
- UK Research and Innovation
- Barts Charity
- National Institute for Health and Care Research
- Center of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation
- Medical Research Council
- Innovate UK