How to Design a Good Phenotype Based Drug Discovery Program, and Why it Matters
With the advent of the molecular biology revolution and the human genome project in the 1990s there was a historic shift toward target-based drug development. Yet a finding by Swinney and Anthony in 2011 resulted in a pendulum swing back towards phenotypic drug discovery. So what is the difference between the two, and how should you design your program in order for it to be successful?
Featured Findings:
90 Mutations with 1 Gene: Functional Analysis of Variants Using C. elegans
We created over 90 point mutations in the STXBP1 gene via CRISPR! A map of these point mutations can be seen below. Clinical variants were selected from the ClinVar database, literature, the Gnomad database, clinical researchers, and the STXBP1 foundation.
17 Minutes of Science: Biotechnology in the Time of Covid with Dr. Jeremy Levin
For episode 26 of 17 Minutes of Science, we are joined by Dr. Jeremy Levin. Dr Levin is the current chairman and CEO of Ovid Therapeutics, Inc. and the chairman of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). Dr. Levin joins us to discuss his recent book and to dig a bit deeper into the impact of the current coronavirus pandemic on biotech, biopharma, and clinical trials.
Understanding GPCRs Using Humanized C. elegans
Our CSO, Dr. Chris Hopkins recently attended the 1st DR. GPCR Summit and presented his talk titled 'Understanding GPCRs Using Humanized C. elegans'. In his talk, he discussed the relevance of using C. elegans as a model organism to study GPCRs and why C. elegans is an ideal model to understand the underlying principles.
Our Longevity Platform offers researchers a streamlined way to determine whether a compound can extend lifespan, promote a longer healthspan, and test the outcome on signaling pathways and cellular mechanisms promoting longer life. We recently updated our page to include new data and figures, check it out!
Industry News:
- Vitamin E deficiency tied to abnormal nervous system development in zebrafish
- Vaping while pregnant found to have potential impact on prenatal brain development in zebrafish
- A worm's view on immunity
- How AI scratches more than just the surface in neurodegeneration
- With Phase 2 data in hand, Ovid eyes multiple pivotal trials for epilepsy drug
P.S.
Many of our 17 Minutes of Science conversations have touched on the subject of PhDs moving away from academia and how little support they felt during that process. This coming week we are very excited to have Dr. Jennifer Polk (a career coach specializing in life after PhD) joins us to discuss alternative careers for PhDs outside of academia, and provide support and insights to those considering transitioning away from academia. RSVP here