Stem cells

Nanolitre Dispensing – On the point of delivery By Dr John Comley Precise low-volume liquid handling methodologies are still sought after by those interested in enabling miniaturised HTS. This article reviews the need for nanolitre dispensing and provides a current perspective on those emerging technologies that have the potential to deliver in the short term. […]

Lead Generation and Lead Optimisation: the value of linking HT co-structure analysis and HT chemistry By Dr David U Prichard The coupling of High Throughput co-structure analysis with focused library generation is not only proving a powerful general tool in lead optimisation but also increasing the probability of successful discovery of high quality oral development […]

By Dr Mark L. Nelson Less than a hundred years ago, if you developed a microbial infection your immune system couldnt handle, you died. Then came the wonder drugs, antibiotics capable of fighting the infections for you. But times have changed. Now, because of antibiotics, their use and misuse, the rise of the Superbugs is […]

The Future of Cardiovascular Gene Therapy By Christopher J. Reinhard Advances in regenerative medicine go hand in hand with new perspectives and insights into potential treatments for heart disease. After a decade of pre-clinical and early Phase 1 and 2 clinical studies, gene therapy is now emerging as a genuine therapeutic option with the potential […]

Chemical microarrays – The drug discovery superhighway By Elaine Seeskin While producing targets was once the bottleneck in the drug discovery process, in the post-genomic era this has been superseded by the requirement for high-quality lead structures. As a result of the pool of genomic data and countless unvalidated targets now available, researchers are finding […]

Obesity – The 21st century disease By Diane L. McBay and Dr Colin T. Dourish Obesity will be the leading cause of death and disability in the 21st century. This epidemic is largely attributable to increasingly sedentary lifestyles and the abundance of tasty, high-fat foods. Obesity increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, coronary […]

Channelling Drug Discovery – Current trends in ion channel drug discovery research By Dr David Owen and Andrew Silverthorne Ion channels are proteins that span cell membranes thus forming conduits or ‘channels’ through which charged ions such as sodium and potassium can pass across a normally impermeant barrier such as the plasmalemma. By so doing, […]

Metabolism Provides Alternative Door to Stroke Therapy By Dr Keith F. Martin and Tony Dolan Even in the age of genomics and gene hunters, a holistic view of cell metabolism can result in revolutionary new drugs. You know that feeling you get the day after an exaggerated attempt at physical exercise, when you suddenly feel […]

Proteomics In Drug Target Discovery – High-throughput meets high-efficiency By Dr Terence E. Ryan and Dr Scott D. Patterson Biochemistry is enjoying a renaissance under the guise of ‘proteomics’ due to the availability of sequenced genomes, advances in mass spectrometry and associated data analysis. Its application to drug discovery and development has obvious benefits to […]

Cell Based Assays – Seeing the light By Dr Nick Thomas High-context cell assays have the potential to take the pivotal role in the drug discovery process. So what are the features of today’s leading edge cell based assay technologies and where does the future lie? We live in interesting times. On one hand the […]