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The multiple serotypes of rhinovirus have presented difficulties for vaccine developers. Now, a team led by Professor Gary McLean from London Metropolitan University and Imperial College London, alongside Professor Sebastian Johnston from Imperial, has formulated a potential vaccine. Nikki Withers spoke to McLean to discover how the vaccine works and…
Researchers have been tracking SARS-CoV-2 by sequencing the genomes of virus samples collected from diagnostic testing. They hope that using next-generation sequencing (NGS) on SARS-CoV-2 will help to accurately diagnose the novel coronavirus, identify mutations and track its history. This article explores the findings of their latest study and what…
Researchers at Ingenza and the University of Plymouth are using a machine learning and high‑throughput screening approach to discover novel antimicrobial therapies. In this article, Nikki Withers spoke to one of the researchers, Jack Kay, to hear about the current threat posed by antimicrobial resistance and how he hopes their…
Results of a recent study by researchers at the University of Bristol indicate neuropilin-1 is an important host factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The team suggests that blocking neuropilin-1 may be a valuable therapeutic intervention in the treatment of COVID-19. Nikki Withers spoke to one of the study’s lead investigators, Dr…
Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital have studied several thousand circulating proteins within the plasma proteome of symptomatic COVID-19 patients and acutely ill non-COVID-19 controls. Nikki Withers discussed their findings and implications of the study with one of the lead authors, Dr Mike Filbin.
A new way of identifying cancer biomarkers has been developed by researchers at Lund University in Sweden. The new technology allows very sensitive, quick and cost-effective identification of cancer biomarkers. Nikki Withers spoke to Professor Carl Borrebaeck, who discusses how the researchers demonstrated the power of combining proteomics with genomics.
Genomics England has launched a next-generation genomic research platform that will play a key role in the response to COVID-19. It is hoped this research environment will transform how genomic data is made usable for global biopharma and academic scientists, providing world‑class patient data security, while enabling the flexibility required…
Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene therapies allow for the treatment of a growing number of diseases; however, the presence of neutralising antibodies can lead to limitations of this technology, particularly for patients who may be excluded due to these pre-existing or developing neutralising antibodies. Recently, a study was published in Nature…
Non-invasive imaging has played an increasing role in drug discovery and development processes. Nikki Withers spoke with Yochi Slonim, who discusses a novel technology that leverages FRET signals for the discovery of small molecule drugs that selectively control mRNA translation in a novel target space.
Neoantigens have gained much interest in recent years, mainly due to their ability to elicit a strong, specific immune response. Nikki Withers spoke to two immunology experts to explore the progress being made and assess what remains challenging for cancer investigators working on these transformational therapies.
Cancer can be an immovable beast, tenacious in its numerous mechanisms to thrive and grow. However, the healthcare industry has an ever-expanding arsenal of therapies designed to thwart it, with variable levels of success. Nikki Withers speaks to Dr Jill O’Donnell-Tormey, CEO and Director of Scientific Affairs at the Cancer…
At the beginning of March, US President Donald Trump pressed the pharmaceutical industry to “accelerate the development” of vaccines and therapies to contain the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. This article explores what is currently known about COVID-19 and potential treatments that are in the pipeline.
Advances in informatics have afforded researchers the ability to extrapolate petabytes of human genomics data and translate it into biologically relevant information. However, further translating this information into knowledge can prove challenging. Slavé Petrovski, Vice President and Head of Genome Analytics and Bioinformatics for AstraZeneca’s Centre for Genomics Research, spoke…
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies have produced encouraging clinical outcomes, demonstrating their therapeutic potential in mitigating tumour development. However, another form of T-cell immunotherapy based on T-cell receptors (TCR) has also shown great potential in this field. Here, Nikki Withers speaks to Miguel Forte who elaborates on the process…
A molecule has been shown to increase dopamine levels in the brains of mice, offering hope for stopping the progression of Parkinson’s.
