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New tool reveals DNA structures that influence disease
Researchers have created an algorithm that locates and analyses DNA structures which are linked to the development of certain diseases.
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Cancer
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DTR’s news round-up 2019: the stories that defined the year
Drug Target Review lists its 10 most popular news stories from 2019, summarising the drug targets that you wanted to read about.
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Getting precise: how humanised models aid in biologics drug discovery
Humanised immune system (HIS) models have enabled numerous in vivo evaluations of immuno-modulating biologic drugs and ongoing improvements continue to extend their utility. Paul Volden explores the application of HIS models in precision and personalised medicine with a focus on biologics, including how HIS models are used, why they are…
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Transitioning novel peptide hits into lead compounds
Unlike synthetic compound libraries, natural product hits must be identified and characterised, as the molecule is often unknown. Venom peptides are often inherently stable due to cysteine knots whereas other peptides may not be. Steve and Carol Trim discuss the challenges of the hit-to-lead journey with these non-standard hits.
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Extensive tumour protein analysis reveals new therapy targets
New research has categorised hundreds of cancers based on their common protein mutations, highlighting cell components and tumour microenvironments as possible new therapy targets.
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Is a universal vaccine against cancer possible?
A new study has presented a potential strategy for a universal human cancer vaccine. This article delves into the researchers’ findings, exploring their methodologies and results.
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Previously unknown role of dendritic cells in inflammation revealed
A study has demonstrated that dendritic cells play a key role in inflammation and how TNF inhibitors can prevent them from fighting infections.
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Antibody characterisation – an essential researchers’ resource
Central to reproducibility in biomedical research is the ability to use well-characterised and defined reagents. The CPTAC Antibody Portal serves as a National Cancer Institute community resource that provides access to many standardised renewable affinity reagents to cancer-associated targets and accompanying characterisation data. Nikki Withers spoke to Dr Tara Hiltke…
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Open innovation – a collaboration between academia and the pharmaceutical industry to further leverage drug discovery expertise and assets
Increasing numbers of companies in the pharma industry are consolidating their services and outsourcing to CROs to reduce business costs. AstraZeneca’s Marian Preston, David Murray and Mark Wigglesworth discuss how this can not only drive innovation but also prove successful in identifying lead compounds, as evidenced through recent collaborations.
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New insights into major disease pathways made with protein discovery
A new chemical tool has been used to identify hundreds of modified proteins which allows new insights to major diseases.
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Using droplet digital PCR to monitor the safety of CAR T cells
CAR T-cell therapy has caused quite a stir in the immunotherapy world, but it is a process that requires precision and care. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) has thus far been the stalwart technique for providing a check on copy numbers, but here Ping Jin explains why droplet digital PCR…
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Cancer immunotherapies may be improved with early immune response
A new mechanism has been reported for detecting foreign material during early immune responses which may help detect elusive cancers.
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Common signalling pathway across cancer and diabetes discovered by researchers
Researchers have found that the TRAP-alpha insulin biosynthesis pathway is essential in both cancer and diabetes, with a common primordial ancestor discovered in C. elegans.
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New screening method identifies potential compounds to combat cancer
The new screening technique may enable development of novel combination-immunotherapy regimens against cancers and persistent infections.
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Researchers develop vaccine with potential to treat pancreatic cancer
A study has demonstrated that a novel vaccine design for pancreatic cancer has been successful in mice, doubling survival time.