The Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) has announced its transition to a Gold Open Access publishing model with Elsevier. This change aims to increase public access to innovative life sciences research and drive citations for both SLAS Discovery and SLAS Technology journals.
The June edition of SLAS Discovery features the cover article on developing high-throughput biochemical assays to assess small molecule impact on SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural protein 14. The issue also includes nine original research articles, covering topics such as HIV latency reversal, kinase inhibitors, and drug combination screening.
The June edition of SLAS Technology features protocols for controlled cell seeding, splitting and expansion of human fibroblasts, induced pluripotent stem cells, and neural progenitor cells. Researchers have made significant improvements in forming complex 3D structures but face challenges in automating assay protocols.
The April edition of SLAS Discovery features research on PROTACs, targeting protein degradation, and kinase family profiling. Authors apply the Four Pillars Framework to expedite PROTAC development and inform pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic understanding.
The April issue of SLAS Technology explores the therapeutic potential of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in applications ranging from wound healing and hair growth enhancement to cancer treatment and stem cell differentiation. However, limitations in controlling the temporal pattern of ROS release hinder their clinical translation.
The article highlights available treatment alternatives for mild and serious COVID-19 cases, as well as vaccine options that can confer immunity to vaccinated individuals. Researchers conclude a combinatorial therapy should be designed with both immunizations and small compounds.
The February edition of SLAS Discovery explores the use of hit discovery methodologies and technologies in both small molecule and large molecule drug discovery. The issue features nine articles of original research, including those on high-throughput screening, mass spectrometry, and AI-driven screening.
The February edition of SLAS Technology features a special collection on Artificial Intelligence in Process Automation, highlighting its applications in drug discovery, automated gene editing, and machine learning. The issue also celebrates the top 10 most-cited articles within the journal's history.
The January issue of SLAS Discovery features the cover article 'Cryo-EM: The Resolution Revolution and Drug Discovery', which explores how Cryo-EM is influencing drug discovery projects. The journal also includes 13 articles on original research topics, such as high-throughput screening methods and protein-ligand interactions.
This special collection focuses on technological innovations addressing the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus. Original research articles cover various topics, including antibody detection, diagnostic methods and ventilator development.
The December special issue of SLAS Discovery focuses on drug discovery efforts for COVID-19, including reviews on repurposing drugs and testing novel proteins necessary for virus replication. The issue also includes articles on the efficacy of existing treatments and potential off-label candidates.
The October issue of SLAS Technology features a cover article on the role of digital microfluidics in enabling access to laboratory automation and making biology programmable. The article discusses the challenges faced by scientists, including costs and late-stage risk, and explores how digital microfluidics can overcome these challenges.
The October edition of SLAS Discovery features a critical review of mass spectrometry applied to imaging in drug discovery, highlighting its potential for pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic measurements. The issue also includes original research articles on various topics in life sciences discovery and technology.
A special collection in SLAS Discovery highlights new screening tools and assays for ion channel drug discovery. The articles cover various techniques such as optical and automated patch clamp electrophysiology to identify new chemical matter for medically relevant membrane protein targets.
A research paper by Muller outlines a one-step cloning method for isolating single stem cells using an engineered pipet. The method is compliant with regulatory guidelines and efficient, cell- and user-friendly. Access to the June issue of SLAS Technology is available online.
Scientists from the University of Pittsburgh have developed two approaches for rendering a specific phosphatase activated by light, allowing them to probe its function. This breakthrough has significant implications for understanding protein-protein interactions and drug discovery, paving the way for new treatments for diseases.
A new case study using 5 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell lines shows improved drug screening through morphology and dead cell readouts. The research aims to enhance the value of cancer drug discovery and development success rates.
CURATE.AI is an AI-derived mechanism-independent technology platform that profiles individual patients based on their data and recommends optimal drug doses. This approach aims to improve treatment efficacy while reducing toxicity levels and addressing the challenges of personalized dosing.
The discovery of CRISPR-Cas9 systems has revolutionized pharmaceutical research by allowing for industrial-scale gene editing and functional genomic screening. This enables the identification of new biological targets for precision medicines and the exploration of mechanisms of drug resistance and sensitivity ahead of clinical trials.
The National Cancer Institute's Plated Compound Sets provide a convenient and cost-effective way to screen compounds manually. However, some collections contain pan assay interfering and nonspecific compounds that can generate false hits.
Researchers developed an automated platform using exclusive liquid repellency microdrops for lossless single-cell isolation, identification and retrieval. The system combines a robotic liquid handler, microscopic imaging system and real-time image-processing software to enable rapid hands-free isolation of rare cellular samples.
The December issue of SLAS Discovery features articles on new screening tools and assays for medically relevant membrane protein targets. The special issue also includes reviews and original research papers on emerging protein-lipid reconstitution methodologies.
The new SLAS Technology auto-commentary discusses the challenges of gathering analytical measurements and introduces realized-based measurement systems as potential replacements. These systems use robots as central system integrators, providing flexibility and enabling decentralized open systems.
The Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) has chosen 53 life sciences students from 12 countries to receive the SLAS Tony B. Academic Travel Award. The award winners will present their research at the SLAS 2020 International Conference and Exhibition in San Diego, CA, USA.
The October issue of SLAS Discovery features a two-part special issue on membrane proteins, highlighting the importance of these targets for novel drug design. The issue includes reviews and original research papers on various aspects of membrane protein biology, such as targeting specific transporters and channels.
This special issue focuses on advancements in technologies that enable predictive, preventative, and personalized medicine. The articles cover various topics such as biomicrofluidic systems, purification and enrichment of extracellular vesicles, and electrochemical sensors.
Quantifying physicochemical properties is crucial for understanding drug interactions and mechanisms. The article highlights the importance of using contemporary methods to improve subpar testing outcomes, enabling better structure-property relationships and accelerated predictive models.
The August edition of SLAS Technology features a review on technologies for the directed evolution of cell therapies, which are moving beyond small molecules and proteins to using whole cells. Researchers can utilize emerging tools like image-activated cell sorters to accelerate high-throughput automation technologies.
The switch from 2D to 3D cell cultures in drug discovery improves the accuracy of human physiological conditions and increases the success rates of drugs. High-content analysis with 3D cell cultures is expected to increase the quality of compounds progressing to preclinical stages.
The June cover of SLAS Discovery features an article on the benefits of open sharing of compounds in drug discovery. By leveraging pooled knowledge, dark proteins have emerged as potential drug targets, offering a promising approach to exploring new medicines.
The June issue of SLAS Technology introduces a new sample management collection, enabling the use of disease-relevant cells and tissues in miniaturized biology. This shift reduces drug discovery attrition by mimicking the disease state more effectively.
The OCTN2 transporter plays a vital role in maintaining carnitine homeostasis, and its deficiency can cause severe muscle pathology. The OCTN1 transporter is associated with inflammatory diseases, such as Crohn's disease, and may have anti-inflammatory properties.
This special collection showcases the potential of 3D cell culture technology in accelerating basic research, drug discovery, and drug development. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) provide optimized systems for disease modeling, compound pharmacology, and toxicology.
A new study assesses the reliability of CETSA HT for early drug discovery, demonstrating good correlations with other assay formats. The technology highlights different compound responses, providing a better understanding of cellular effects.
The Quadratic Phenotypic Optimization Platform (QPOP) uses AI to analyze small datasets and design optimal drug combinations based on real experimental data. This approach can optimize and personalize combination therapy for individual patients with complex diseases, such as multiple myeloma.
A new SLAS Technology special issue showcases life sciences researchers who are using IoT technologies to optimize laboratory systems. The articles explore various applications of IoT in laboratories, including end-to-end sample tracking, automation, and instrument design.
Pharmaceutical companies are adopting improved safety screening strategies to enhance the drug discovery process, including integrated screening paradigms and computational methods. These approaches aim to identify higher-quality drug candidates and mitigate off-target toxicity.
This special issue showcases recent advances in high-throughput flow cytometry for drug discovery, including novel applications and expert insights. Examples include HTFC for single-cell analysis, biologic drugs, and CAR-T therapy.
The SLAS Technology special issue showcases advancements in cell separation methods, bioreactor systems and automation to improve the manufacturing process of cell-based therapies. These technologies aim to decrease costs and enhance safety while expanding applications beyond oncology.
The new assay enables simultaneous measurement of tirabrutinib bound and total BTK levels, reducing sample requirements. It uses full-length purified recombinant human BTK protein and PBMCs derived from healthy volunteers and patients with CLL, demonstrating its utility for pharmacodynamic assessments.
Research into lncRNAs is demonstrating their importance in development and disease. LncRNAs are implicated in various biological processes, including transcription, dosage compensation, and messenger RNA degradation.
Fragment-based lead discovery (FBLD) increases the chances of finding hit compounds and delivers results without high-throughput screening investment. FBLD starts by identifying low molecular weight fragments that bind to protein targets, then grows them into potent drug candidates.
The article surveys the landscape of lead discovery tactics, explaining how researchers are combining different approaches to achieve success. The toolbox of approaches is evolving as new science emerges, including complex cellular models and computational techniques.
Researchers in Switzerland have developed a novel screening platform using automated 3D bioprinting to fabricate muscle- and tendon-like tissues. The platform demonstrates high viability and good tissue differentiation, functionality of the muscle tissue models is also shown.
Clinical Trials in a Dish (CTiD) offers a novel strategy to test drugs on patient cells before moving into actual clinical trials. CTiD studies have opened up new avenues for screening cell-based safety and toxicity at the population level, enabling efficient testing with reduced costs.
Researchers from the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation developed a fully automated screening system that solves the slow and low-throughput problem of high-throughput screening in flow cytometry. The system achieves a throughput of 50,000 wells per day, enabling robust phenotypic drug discovery.
Researchers use NanoFlare to enable biodefree disease diagnosis and progression monitoring, reducing scarring and infection risks. The method provides timely feedback on treatment efficacy, improving accessibility to disease diagnosis.
LINE-1 retrotransposons play a pivotal role in genome evolution and are involved in processes such as aging, brain activity, cancer immunology and cancer development. The study highlights the importance of cell cycle regulation and the DNA replication complex in LINE-1 cellular localization and activity.
Researchers have developed primary pancreatic organoid tumor models using magnetic nanoparticle assembly, enabling high-throughput phenotypic drug screening. These 3D structures allow for the testing of drug-like molecules against patient-derived cancer cells, providing insights into potential patient outcomes.
The automated protocol simplifies sample preparation, reducing time and error. Researchers can now seamlessly transition to automation, relieving them from monotonous pipetting tasks.