Cellular & Molecular biology

Mogrify and the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB), a research laboratory dedicated to understanding important biological processes at the molecular level, have announced an exploratory research collaboration. The project aims to develop novel protein expression systems by leveraging recent advances in direct cell reprogramming to help improve the production of proteins which are not […]

  Cells are constantly moving throughout our bodies, performing functions crucial to tissue development, immune responses and general wellbeing. This locomotion—an essential feature of biological processes, both normal and pathological—is guided by chemical cues long studied by scientists interested in cellular migration. But a team of physicists and biologists at UC San Diego and UC […]

Researchers from the Universities of Melbourne, York, Warwick and Oxford have shed light on how encapsulated viruses like hepatitis B, dengue and SARS-CoV-2 hijack the protein manufacturing and distribution pathways in the cell. They have also identified a potential broad spectrum anti-viral drug target to stop them in their tracks. The findings have been published […]

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 virus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, have fuelled significant shifts in preclinical research across the globe. Amid the worldwide health emergency created by high infection rates, rapid transmission spread and relatively high mortality rates, researchers are under pressure to understand the disease’s pathogenesis, develop and test investigational therapeutics and explore […]

By Ibis Sanchez-Serrano and Rathnam Chaguturu 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 article examines the major initiatives being explored at the public policy level to contain the spread of COVID-19 […]

By Dr Karin Bottcher High content screening (HCS) has played a significant role in infectious disease research and drug discovery to date and can be a strong tool in the age of COVID-19 and beyond. With a focus on viral diseases, this article will describe how HCS has been used by laboratories around the world […]

By Dr Ross Macdonald Cell-based therapies are being widely recognised for their potential to treat a variety of medical conditions, but they face major obstacles toward commercialisation. Traditionally, they have been difficult and expensive to make in large quantities. Biopharmaceutical companies must develop manufacturing solutions that will enable them to efficiently and reproducibly create the […]

The COVID-19 antiviral race: we’re all in this together By Uduak Grace Thomas 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 […]

Stem Cell Differentiation By Dr Lilian Hook Stem cells are extraordinary cells, capable of both self-renewal and differentiation to mature somatic cells in vivo and in vitro (1,2). They have many features and advantages which could revolutionise drug development and healthcare applications. Stem cells offer a limitless, consistent supply of physiologically relevant cells from validated […]

Phenotypic Drug Discovery With High Content Screening Sponsored by PerkinElmer Early drug discovery used to be conducted mainly in a target-agnostic fashion, focusing on qualitative readouts from a living system – cells, tissue, or organisms – and asking the question, did this entity affect the phenotype? Target Based or Phenotypic Screening? With the rise of […]

Meet Stunner: The One-Shot Protein Concentration and Sizing Combo Sponsored by Unchained Labs Stunner pulls double-duty so you don’t have to. It’s the one and only system that combines high-speed UV/Vis spectral analysis and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) for quantifying concentration and nailing down protein stability. Stunner measures highly concentrated samples in a snap, without […]

Targeting Energy Metabolism for Cancer Therapeutic Discovery using Agilent Seahorse XF Technology Sponsored by Agilent This white paper discusses targeting energy metabolism for cancer therapeutic discovery using Agilent Seahorse XF technology. Abstract Altered energy metabolism is now recognized as a driver in many diseases. In cancer research, significant advances have been made in defining druggable […]

Enterprise Therapeutics publishes paper on novel therapeutic approach for treatment of all cystic fibrosis patients. Enterprise Therapeutics Ltd (Enterprise), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel therapies to improve the lives of patients suffering with respiratory disease, today announced the publication of its first peer-reviewed paper. The open access paper, published […]

Image: Joshua Coleman According to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), pharmaceutical companies should stockpile six weeks’ worth of goods “to help ensure the continuity of supply of medical goods into and out of the UK”. In a letter to the industry Steve Oldfield, Chief Commercial Officer, acknowledges the impact of COVID-19 on the sector […]

Scientists in academic centres and companies around the world desperately search for novel therapeutics and vaccines to treat and prevent COVID-19. However, with lockdowns and limited access to laboratories, researchers are being forced to work from home, putting research continuity at risk. To help scientists continue their R&D, and ensure research continuity, Arctoris has established […]

Antibodies derived from llamas have been shown to neutralise the SARS-CoV-2 virus in lab tests, UK researchers have found. The team involves researchers from the Rosalind Franklin Institute, Oxford University, Diamond Light Source and Public Health England. They hope the antibodies – known as nanobodies due to their small size – could eventually be developed […]