As the global population is progressively becoming older, we are seeing an increase in the prevalence of neurological diseases. Many of these conditions disable patients long before they become fatal, meaning the burden of these diseases is likely to be huge in years to come. Despite vast amounts of research into neurological diseases, most cannot …

According to the United Nations (UN), global water demand is expected to continue increasing; in part by the world’s growing population, but also because industrial and domestic sectors are raising their demands. In addition to increased demand from the current supply, the UN says there are over two billion people who live in countries experiencing …

Developing drugs to target the central nervous system (CNS) is challenging as a result of the bloodbrain barrier (BBB) acting as an anatomical blockade, preventing many therapeutic candidates from reaching neuronal tissue directly. There are several models used in drug discovery to determine whether a therapeutic agent is fit for purpose in targeting neurological diseases. …

The use of immunotherapies to treat certain types of cancer has expanded greatly over the last 25 years. Today, there are many approved therapies that use immune checkpoint inhibitors to activate T-cell killing. Despite the successes, many patients are still found to be unresponsive to immunotherapy alone or develop resistance over time. Epigenetic therapy is …

Cell and gene therapies (CGT) have changed the landscape of precision medicine and continue to emerge at a rapid pace. These therapeutic strategies are both specific and precise compared to prior conventional medicines, and offer tremendous potential for the treatment of syndromes and diseases caused by genetic mutations. The personalized nature of CGT approaches requires …

Early in the coronavirus pandemic, evidence emerged that COVID-19 was not just a disease of the respiratory system as initially thought. It became clear that people with underlying cardiovascular problems, such as prior heart failure, coronary artery disease, or hypertension, were more susceptible to severe infection with SARS-CoV-2. There was also evidence to suggest that …

Despite G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) being one of the oldest drug-target classes, they continue to offer scope for new therapeutics, with many people believing that the GPCR drug discovery landscape still has many untapped opportunities. With one third of all FDA-approved therapeutics acting on GPCR targets, these receptors constitute the largest family of proteins targeted by …

Italy designated March 18th as the national day to remember its COVID-19 victims, and 2021 was the first anniversary. The date for the annual commemoration was not chosen randomly: it was the day that Italy – and the world – woke up to images of a convoy of military trucks full of coffins driving out …

Cell and gene therapies are promising treatment strategies for many diseases. A multifaceted in vitro and in vivo approach is applicable in treatments ranging from cancer to genetic diseases. These therapies rely on transgenes being delivered into specific cell types, therefore identification of cell types and effective use of delivery vehicles is critical. The active …

In laboratories around the world, artificial intelligence (AI) is being paired with robotic and automated technologies to expand the scope of science by harnessing machine learning (ML) and hypothesis generation to improve experimental design and data analysis. The environmental testing industry has suffered recently a period of consolidation, intense price competition, and declining profitability-and labs …