Drug Targets – News and Features

Scientists have identified a promising new drug target for acute myeloid leukemia, a deadly blood cancer with a five-year survival rate of just 30%, highlighting the crucial role of a protein called paraspeckle component 1.

Technology Networks spoke to the most productive researcher in spatial transcriptomics, Professor Joakim Lundeberg, about the field’s rapid growth.

Endometrial organoids, 3D cell cultures mimicking the endometrium, offer new opportunities in endometriosis research. These models are key in studying drug targets, fertility issues and gynecological cancers.

A study from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital reveals that the protein VDAC2 acts as a “signal jammer” in tumors, preventing immune system communication. By removing VDAC2, tumors became more sensitive to immunotherapy.

Researchers discovered that Zika virus constructs nanotubes to transport infection across the placental barrier undetected. The viral protein NS1 triggers this process, allowing Zika to spread while evading immune defenses.

Researchers have uncovered a source of "replication stress" during DNA replication, shedding light on a new cancer target.

A study published in Neuropsychopharmacology found that repurposing amlodipine, a commonly used blood pressure medicine, could offer a promising new pathway to address ADHD symptoms.

Researchers at Purdue University have developed NuFold, a machine learning tool that predicts 3D RNA structures from sequences. Dubbed the RNA equivalent of AlphaFold, NuFold bridges the gap in experimental RNA data.

Pancreatic cancer patients may benefit from future precision treatments as a new study shows how some tumors may potentially be more susceptible to macrophage-based therapies.

Researchers have revealed novel sequence-structure-property relationships for customizing engineered living materials, enabling more precise control over their structure and how they respond to force.