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Small droplets feel the vibe

The team created highly uniform arrays of low surface tension functional water-based droplets for biochemical experiments, overcoming current patterning limitations. This non-contact method has potential applications in drug discovery and clinical diagnostics.

SourceUniversity of Bristol·JournalNature Communications·DateOct 6, 2016

Griffith scientists unlock the 'Malaria box'

A global team of researchers has created and tested a panel of 400 chemical compounds, dubbed the 'Malaria Box', with potential application as therapeutic starting points for diseases like malaria, trypanosomiasis and toxoplasmosis. The collaboration opens new doors for international advances in drug discovery.

SourceGriffith University·JournalPLOS Pathogens·DateAug 1, 2016

New pathway to treat heart failure

Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University have found a new way to keep the heart pumping, which could lead to new drugs for heart disease. By activating the beta2-adrenergic receptor, they can promote the contraction of heart muscle cells and potentially treat heart failure.

SourceThomas Jefferson University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 27, 2016

Deep learning enters the beauty industry

Insilico Medicine presents research on applying deep learning to biomarker development and cosmetics applications at INNOCOS World Beauty Innovation Summit. The company's app RYNKL evaluates anti-aging interventions using machine learning methods, minimizing animal testing.

'Person-on-a-chip': U of T engineers grow 3-D heart, liver tissues for better drug testing

Researchers at U of T Engineering have developed a new way of growing realistic human tissues outside the body, called AngioChip. The technology uses a three-dimensional structure complete with internal blood vessels and can be used to test drugs on lab-grown human tissues, providing a realistic model at a fraction of the cost.

Sweet and sticky: Bacteria use sugars to bind to human cells

Researchers at Griffith University have made a groundbreaking discovery about how bacteria interact with human cells, revealing high-affinity biomolecular interactions between glycans that were previously thought to be weak or non-existent. This finding opens up new avenues for developing vaccines and drugs to block infections.

SourceGriffith University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 14, 2015

Using 'big data' to combat influenza

A team of researchers combined large genomic and proteomic datasets to identify new factors that can be targeted to prevent viruses from spreading. They found 20 previously unrecognized host proteins required for IAV replication, including the pivotal protein UBR4.

SourceSanford Burnham Prebys·JournalCell·DateDec 9, 2015

Ringing the changes 'opens the road to new medicines'

Researchers at the University of York have developed a new approach to make medicinally important molecules with large rings, called macrocycles. This method allows for their 'growth' from existing rings using ring enlargement reactions, paving the way for the development of new classes of life-saving medicines.

SourceUniversity of York·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·DateNov 17, 2015

Wrangling proteins gone wild

Researchers at McGill University have developed a suite of computer programs to speed up the process of drug discovery for diseases like diabetes and Alzheimer's. The Fibrilizer program analyzes billions of possible genetic mutations to find weak spots in toxic protein strands, potentially leading to new treatments.

SourceMcGill University·JournalBioinformatics·DateSep 29, 2015

New drug-like compounds may improve odds of men battling prostate cancer, researchers find

Researchers have found three new drug-like compounds that target a protein responsible for chemotherapy resistance in cancers, offering hope for improved treatment options. The compounds have shown promise in re-sensitizing resistant cancer cells to chemotherapy, improving the odds of survival for prostate cancer patients.

SourceSouthern Methodist University·JournalPharmacology Research & Perspectives·DateSep 8, 2015

Using bacterial 'fight clubs' to find new drugs

A team of Vanderbilt chemists used a novel approach called 'fight clubs' to identify promising new anti-cancer compounds from natural sources. By analyzing the interactions between bacteria and other microorganisms, they discovered a class of biomolecules with broad-spectrum activity.

SourceVanderbilt University·JournalACS Chemical Biology·DateJun 29, 2015

Discovery paves way for homebrewed drugs

A team of researchers has successfully engineered a yeast strain to produce morphine and potentially other drugs, including antibiotics and anti-cancer therapeutics. The breakthrough could significantly reduce the cost of drug discovery and manufacturing, but raises concerns about potential misuse and calls for urgent regulation.

SourceUniversity of California - Berkeley·JournalNature Chemical Biology·DateMay 18, 2015