Issue 4 2008

RNAi therapeutics: addressing targets?

Issue 4 2008 / 2 August 2008 /

Gene silencing by RNA interference (RNAi) uses double-stranded RNA to shut down gene expression in cells. This provides the possibility that this new methodology could be used in the treatment of disease symptoms and disease processes. A particular attraction of RNAi (as well as other gene knockdown methods of treatment, including antisense) is that, at present, no one class of protein appears to be refractive to silencing using this method and, therefore, it has the potential to make any gene product a target for pharmaceutical intervention. As will be discussed later though, delivery of these large polyanionic molecules to their site of action may pose a significant challenge.

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Tagged with: GlaxoSmithKline, GSK, Mark Edbrooke, Neil Clarke, RNA, RNAi

Real-time quantitative PCR – opportunities and pitfalls

Issue 4 2008 / 2 August 2008 /

The emergence of next generation sequencing technology has brought the prospect of digital analyses closer, technology that will allow not just the quantification of nucleic acids, but will result in the fine-tuning of this information with respect to tissue- and cell-specific transcription, the identification of new transcriptional units, e.g. the detection of new splice variants and their overall correlation with genomic elements. Until that time, the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) continues as the enabling technology par excellence offering an unrivalled combination of simplicity, cost-efficiency, accuracy and availability, with application in every area of life sciences and medicine1. Its sensitivity, specificity, and wide linear dynamic range makes qPCR today’s method of choice for any research and diagnostic application that aims to detect and measure nucleic acids2.

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Tagged with: Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), qPCR, Stephen Bustin, University of London

RNAi Europe & Advances in qPCR

Issue 4 2008 / 2 August 2008 /

From 16-18 September 2008, and to be held in Stockholm, Sweden, Select Biosciences invites you to the 5th annual RNAi Europe – Europe’s largest conference & exhibition dedicated to RNA interference. It will also be conveniently co-located with Advances in qPCR conference and exhibition.

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Industry Insight: An interview with Søren Morgenthaler Echwald

Issue 4 2008 / 2 August 2008 /

European Pharmaceutical Review speaks to Søren Morgenthaler Echwald, Vice President of Business Development at Exiqon regarding new developments in microRNA.

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Tagged with: Exiqon, Industry Insight, microRNA, Søren Morgenthaler Echwald

7th HUPO World Congress

Issue 4 2008 / 2 August 2008 /

The 7th World Congress of the Human Proteome Organisation, HUPO, will be held at the RAI Congress Centre in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, from 16-20 August 2008.

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Tagged with: Proteomics, Show Preview

Accessing stem cells via proteomics

Issue 4 2008 / 2 August 2008 /

Stem cells have two important characteristics that distinguish them from other cells: the ability to self-renew through cell division for a prolonged period, and to differentiate into multiple cells with specialised functions. The power of stem cells for tissue development, regeneration and renewal has been well known to embryologists for many years. The recent concept of adult tissue stem cells as pluripotent progenitors for various tissues has led to the rapid expansion of stem cell research.

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Tagged with: Hana Kovarova, Proteomics, Stem Cells, Suresh Gadher

HUPO 2008 – Proteome Biology

Issue 4 2008 / 2 August 2008 /

Date: 16-20 August 2008

The theme of the meeting is “Proteome Biology”. In spite of the amazing complexity of the proteome, the field of proteomics has matured to a degree where significant progress in biology and medicine can be realised. This expectation is based on rapid progress in the development of powerful proteomics technologies that increasingly contribute to the editing of comprehensive maps of the various cells’ proteomes and move forward the boundaries of the “terra incognita”. The title of the meeting also indicates the need for proteomics to progress beyond identifying the building blocks of the proteome towards understanding of how the complex biological functions of a cell are orchestrated via intricate networks of proteins interacting with themselves and other types of biomolecules.

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Live cell high content screening in drug development

Issue 4 2008 / 2 August 2008 /

Cell-based assays are essential for drug discovery and development as they increase the quality of lead compounds due to their physiological relevance. Toxicological data can be gathered during the early phases of hit selection and verification, reducing costs and attrition rates during clinical trials.

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Tagged with: HCS (High Content Screening), Marc Bickle, Max Planck Institute

Information automation in R&D laboratories; past and future

Issue 4 2008 / 2 August 2008 /

What were the drivers that helped launch the laboratory information management system (LIMS) and electronic laboratory notebook (ELN)? This article will trace the history of LIMS and ELN from their emergence into the future. Technology development did play a big role to be sure, but the desire of scientists to minimise time performing and analysing experiments provided the biggest push. By looking at the past, one can quite often get a better perspective of what the future will bring. There will be many issues to consider, primarily how to manage and preserve the vast amount of scientific electronic information that is being generated daily.

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Tagged with: Charlie Sodano, ELNs, eOrganizedWorld, LIMS

Drug Discovery 2008

Issue 4 2008 / 2 August 2008 /

Following the highly successful meeting in 2007, the European Laboratory Robotics Interest Group (ELRIG) and the Society of Biomolecular Sciences (SBS), are pleased to announce that their Drug Discovery: 2008 Meeting will be held at the Bournemouth International Centre, (BIC), UK, on 23 & 24 September 2008.

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Chromatin: cracking the chemical code

Issue 4 2008 / 2 August 2008 /

Chromatin is a nucleoprotein complex, found in eukaryotic organisms, consisting of approximately 50% DNA and 50% histone proteins. The histones undergo a number of reversible covalent chemical modifications (for example, acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation), especially in the N-terminal regions. These chemical changes prepare chromatin for a range of essential cellular processes and understanding the code for the many possible combinations of modifications, in terms of their function, is currently an area of intense research and is driving developments in molecular cancer therapies. Several molecules that modulate chromatin modifications have already been developed as commercially available cancer treatments, while many others are undergoing clinical trials.

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Tagged with: Chromatin, Colin Reynolds, James Nicholson, John Baldwin

Fast-scan differential scanning calorimetry

Issue 4 2008 / 2 August 2008 /

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is a widely used technique within the pharmaceutical industry because the range of phase transitions it can measure usually allows near complete physical characterisation of a new active principal early during preformulation. In addition, because DSC measures a property change that is ubiquitous† (heat) there are very few samples that cannot be investigated.

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Tagged with: Calorimetry, Simon Gaisford, Thermal Analysis, University of London