Life sciences
A new study will explore how combining CRISPR with biomaterials can make the technology both safer and more effective for therapeutic use. CRISPR is a powerful gene-editing tool that holds enormous potential for treating genetic diseases by allowing scientists to cut, replace, or delete mutations in DNA. It can also modify gene expression, temporarily amplifying [...]
A novel gut-restricted and PHD specific Inhibitor designed and optimised with the support of AI for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) has shown positive results in two Phase I studies. Two Phase I studies investigating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and food effects (FE) of a drug called ISM5411 were conducted in Australia and China in [...]
Scientists have uncovered a nucleolar complex that plays a pivotal role in maintaining cellular health through protein homeostasis (proteostasis), which could be help in the fight against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. Proteostasis is a process by which cells maintain the balance and proper functioning of their proteins. Researchers have now found that by suppressing [...]
Researchers have developed a new type of plastic scintillator that demonstrates enhanced optical transparency and mechanical durability. These materials offer a safer, more cost-effective alternative to traditional radiation detectors and may impact sectors such as medical imaging. Radiation detectors are widely used in nuclear power, border security, and medical diagnostics. Traditional detectors, however, often face [...]
A team of chemists has unveiled a novel method to simplify the synthesis of piperidines, a key structural component in many pharmaceuticals. The study combines biocatalytic carbon-hydrogen oxidation and radical cross-coupling, offering a streamlined and cost-effective approach to create complex, three-dimensional molecules. This innovation could help accelerate drug discovery and enhance the efficiency of medicinal [...]
Researchers have developed and tested a new software package, called Spatial Modeling Algorithms for Reactions and Transport (SMART), that can realistically simulate cell-signalling networks — the complex systems of molecular interactions that allow cells to respond to diverse cues from their environment. Cell-signalling networks involve many distinct steps and are also greatly influenced by the [...]
Scientists have uncovered a protein that helps cancer cells evade CAR T cell therapy - a finding that could lead to more personalised therapies that improve cancer patients’ survival. CAR T cell therapy harnesses the immune system to seek out and kill tumor cells. This treatment is used in certain types of leukaemia and lymphoma [...]
Researchers have uncovered a molecular strategy employed by worm parasites (helminths) to evade host immune defences - a discovery that opens new avenues for the development of innovative vaccines and therapies. The study offers promising solutions for addressing major infectious diseases, allergies, and asthma by leveraging the unique immune-regulatory properties of helminths. Helminths are known [...]
A study has presented a new therapeutic tool capable of inhibiting the proliferation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19. The results open up new perspectives in the fight against this coronavirus and other viral diseases that still have no medical treatment, such as the Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHFV). In May 2023, the World Health [...]
The first ever drug for an aggressive form of eye cancer is being fast-tracked to hundreds of patients by the NHS across England. One patient receiving the treatment described the rollout as “the best early Christmas present I could’ve asked for”. Patients diagnosed with uveal melanoma, which once it has spread to major organs is [...]
