Drug Discovery and Development

The Human Genome Project was completed nearly two decades ago, in 2003. The primary vision of this project was to produce a human reference genome, a representative example of the set of genes in one idealized individual human. However, the currently available reference genomes do not represent the genetic diversity found across different human populations. As such, any downstream products (drugs therapies, personalized medicine, etc.) derived from the human genome will not accurately represent the vast majority of the human population.

Successful chimeric antigen receptor- (CAR-) T cell therapy requires a target antigen that is unique to cancer cells. But what happens when there are no unique antigens? Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center addressed this problem by replacing healthy non-target cells with genetically modified versions lacking the CAR-T cell target. Their results, published in PNAS, may provide a new avenue for treatment of some types of cancer.

In an effort to increase the return on investment of research and development, pharmaceutical companies are constantly looking for ways to reduce costs. One way to do this is to incorporate technology and minimize human interaction. As a result, scientists will have more time to focus on the design and analysis of experiments. How will the Lab of the Future reflect these changes?

Every year cancer kills eight million people worldwide. By 2030, the number of annually diagnosed cases will exceed 21.7 million resulting in 13 million cancer deaths due to aging and population growth. Join the fight against cancer by embarking on a research mission to develop a personalized immunotherapy using augmented reality.

Frost & Sullivan, a business consulting firm involved in market research and analysis, conducted a thought leadership forum that brought together experts in the field of immuno-oncology. Follow their discussions about the current state of immunotherapies and the key challenges and future approaches to the targeted use of the immune system in cancer treatment.

Mock organs the size of a thumb drive are poised to revolutionize drug development and discovery. Dr. Dan Tagle at the NIH, the latest guest on Brilliant Science, specializes in divining new ways to innovate organs-on-chips, and he’s even sending them to space. Read more about this growing technology and its fascinating applications.

Frost & Sullivan, a business consulting firm involved in market research and analysis, conducted a thought leadership forum that brought together experts in the field of CNS biomarkers. Follow their discussions about technological advancements in the field and future implications of the current research and development.

The Brilliant Science podcasts will introduce you to some of the amazing science being done around the world. Join us every month to see what you can learn.

For the past 30 years, there has been one assumed culprit of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) — beta-amyloid. However, researchers have been unsuccessful in developing effective therapies targeting this protein. Understand the history of AD and beta-amyloid and see what other biomarkers are being investigated as potential therapeutic targets.

Ever wonder how football is linked to degenerative brain disease? Find out here. Also, learn about novel biomarkers for traumatic brain injury (TBI), the current state of TBI research, and promising new approaches for developing a robust diagnostic tool. Discover tests currently used to diagnose TBI and read about unusual techniques used to develop reliable biomarkers.