A biosynthetic pathway to identify new drug candidates
A new process for identifying and biosynthesising drug candidates has been discovered by researchers at the Carl R Woese Institute for Genomic Biology.
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Articles
Therapeutic antibodies in cancer therapy
Monoclonal antibodies have shown great promise in the treatment of various cancers. This article discusses how therapeutic antibodies are produced and the various treatment strategies that are currently being adopted.
Next generation sequencing for cancer precision medicine
The systematic successful treatment of cancer still eludes us and in an effort to refine this area of targeted medicine, Lauri Paasonen and colleagues explore the potential of using patient-derived cells (PDCs) for devising a personalised treatment strategy for solid tumours.
Slowing progression in Parkinson’s
Currently, there is no licensed treatment to slow or stop the progression of Parkinson’s disease. However, a team at Sheffield University in the UK are currently working to identify compounds that target the dopaminergic brain cells affected by the disease. Nikki Withers speaks to Dr Heather Mortiboys to hear how…
Recent trends in upstream bioprocessing and major challenges in process development
Aparajita Dubey summarises the recent trends in upstream bioprocessing and highlights the challenges and solutions involved in its process development.
Spotlighting data in upstream bioprocesses – a recipe for quick and successful cell lines
Upstream bioprocessing is the epicentre of biologics development, wherein scientists piece together a series of carefully chosen processes with contributing components and parameters to enable the production of highly effective biotherapeutics. Unjulie Bhanot explains why an effective data management system is vital in this quest for the next big therapeutic.
Designing proteins from scratch with computer science
Marc Baiget-Francesch highlights interesting developments in the field of protein drug design and explains how continual software improvements are speeding up the process.
Under the microscope: Collaborating in target discovery
Vernalis Research is based at Granta Park in Cambridge, UK and specialises in the development and application of fragment- and structure-based drug discovery methods. Nikki Withers met with Vernalis’ Research Director, James Murray, to discuss the company’s innovative approach to target discovery and how they sustain symbiotic collaborations to progress…
The elegant parallel of using CRISPR to understand disease mechanisms
CRISPR is the buzzword of the moment in the drug discovery industry – mainly due to its potential to correct disease-causing mutations. However, those using the technology need to be mindful that it is used responsibly, and possible risks are considered before use. Mark Behlke discusses the potential of CRISPR…
Under the microscope: Improving hit discovery efficiency at Europe´s leading screening centre
Steven van Helden, Chief Technology Officer at Pivot Park Screening Centre (PPSC), relies on efficient microplate readers for effective hit discovery.
Genomic medicine: cracking genomes to cure ‘incurable’ diseases
We are on the precipice of realising the true potential of genomics studies. Following completion of the Human Genome Project six years ago, huge strides have been made in understanding how the genome works, shedding light on disease pathogenesis and forging therapeutic efforts. In this article, Pushpanathan Muthuirulan explains how…
Training and development in flow cytometry and other core technologies
There is still much to be done regarding how training is delivered and monitored in core technologies such as flow cytometry. Here, Derek Davies outlines the approaches his team at The Francis Crick Institute are taking to train users of such technologies to ensure quality data is obtained and best…
Hitting the target – utilising recombinant antibodies for viral research
Having worked in antibody research for over 20 years, Gary McLean has seen how the industry has progressed and understands the potential that antibodies have in the future of medicine. Nikki Withers hears how the focus has shifted from discovery to genetic sequence manipulation and how this can be applied…
Evaluation of therapeutic antibody discovery technologies
Protein therapeutics are a major class of biopharmaceuticals and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) rule this domain. In this article, Dr Nancy Lopez-Anton outlines the key technologies employed in this important therapeutic discovery area; how they have evolved and what obstacles must be navigated to ensure future success.
Expert view: What role do connected pipettes play in the lab of the future?
As research moves forward at a rapid pace and data is being generated in larger quantities than ever before, one problem the scientific community faces is reproducibility.