Podcasts
Outside the box thinking for drug discovery success
This is the latest episode of the free DDW narrated podcast, “Outside the box thinking for drug discovery success”, which covers three written for Volume 23 – Issue 4, Fall 2022 of DDW. They are called: Stanford researchers construct the most complete synthetic microbiome, Highs and lows of drug repurposing, and Unlocking the potential of mucoadhesive drug […]
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Race To COVID-19 Cure – The Core Model for solving the pandemic crisis (Part 1)
Mitigation of COVID-19 pandemic requires a combination of effective epidemiological policies and the discovery/development of powerful drugs against the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes this disease. This 2 part episode series examines the major initiatives being explored at the public policy level to contain the spread of COVID-19 as well as […]
Listen nowThe COVID-19 antiviral race: we’re all in this together
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, international scientists from academia and industry have pooled their expertise and resources to identify candidate compounds that inhibit the activity of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease, in order to develop a clinically effective antiviral. The aptly named COVID-19 Moonshot aims to accomplish this task more rapidly than has historically been […]
Listen nowUsing Live-Cell Imaging Systems to Transform Perspectives in Drug Discovery
Live-cell imaging has transformed the study of cell behaviour and function. The technique allows researchers to monitor internal cell structures, interactions and processes in real-time, and over time. In drug discovery, understanding the dynamic processes of cells provides an enhanced picture of drug pharmacology, enabling more reliable predictions of clinical responses earlier in the process. […]
Listen nowFail Early, Fail Fast – A phenotypic rescue approach
New disease targets frequently emerge in literature, but the thorough target validation required to consider these targets for a drug discovery programme is often lacking. In pharmacological or genetic perturbation studies using complex biological assays, undesired off-target effects cannot be easily distinguished from the intended mode of action at the desired target. This is especially […]
Listen nowUnlocking Clinical Trial Data to Uncover New Therapeutic Opportunities
This article discusses opportunities, challenges and best practices in leveraging infrastructure excellence and AI to unlock the value of early or inconclusive clinical trial data. The goal… driving stronger biomarker-based insights and decisions and helping to advance new cures and treatment approaches. As we all know, data is increasingly king in our information-driven world and […]
Listen nowFrom human genome to global genome – why precision medicine must address genetic diversity
The publication of the first human genome sequence more than 15 years ago marked the start of a new era in medicine. In the years since then, researchers have greatly expanded knowledge of gene-disease links and gained a better understanding of the underlying molecular pathways. The first precision therapies, targeted to specific molecular alterations, are […]
Listen nowHow Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Drug Design
AI could create a streamlined, automated approach to drug discovery, trawling vast datasets to identify targets, find candidate molecules and predict synthesis routes. Getting there will require significant vision, but we are already seeing exciting examples of AI helping direct research and reduce discovery times. We discuss the short and long term potential of AI […]
Listen nowSafety First – Automating cell line development
Developing and maintaining cell cultures in a stable and sterile environment is of paramount importance to protect samples and increase overall success of drug discovery pipelines. Cell lines are extremely fragile and susceptible to contamination which can be catastrophic in terms of both time and money. Therefore, adequate environmental protection must be provided at all […]
Listen nowApplication of bioinformatics in support of precision medicine
Bioinformatics has played a major role in gene sequencing diagnostics and has been an essential tool to investigate the genetic causes of disease. With the support of new technologies and tools, bioinformatics can play an important part in the support and continued development of precision medicine. By Mike Furness and John Wise
Listen now3D Organoid Cell Culture – Optimising disease models for research and drug discovery
In this episode, we examine the use of 3D organoid cell culture systems as applied to cancer research and the development of novel anti-oncologic drugs. Collectively, this transition from 3D spheroid culture to organoid culture allows researchers to generate multiple organ-specific cell types, resulting in cell architectures that more closely resemble the human tissue microenvironment. […]
Listen nowBitten by the Bug – A flurry of investments fuel microbiome drug discovery
It has become quite evident that the microbiome has the potential to impact drug discovery in vital ways. In addition to impacting study reproducibility and variability, the microbiome may influence drug efficacy or serve as a therapeutic agent. To capitalise on the microbiome’s potential to improve human health, biotech and pharmaceutical companies are devoting greater […]
Listen nowFrom Genotype to Phenotype: Leveraging functional genomics in oncology
Drug discovery is increasingly informed by genomics, which can significantly boost the chances of a novel therapy successfully navigating the lengthy journey from bench to bedside. But despite the rapid proliferation of genomic information, we still have a limited understanding of how specific genes and genetic variations drive tumour growth and therapeutic resistance. In turn, […]
Listen nowFlow Cytometry – The advanced systems overcoming drug discovery pain points
Flow cytometry is an invaluable technique for the characterisation of highly heterogeneous cell populations. Thanks to improvements in throughput, automation and multichannel detection capabilities, recent years have seen its use expand across a wide range of drug discovery applications. In this article, we look at novel developments in flow cytometer reagent and instrument design, and […]
Listen nowCell Therapy – Falling short of its potential?
Despite major investment in the field, few cell therapies have gained regulatory approval with limited commercial success. The success of therapeutic products is defined by three factors: safety, efficacy and scalability. Achieving these for cell therapy presents new challenges; overcoming transplant rejection (and GvHD in the case of immune cells), producing and culturing functional cells […]
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