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RNAi screening in the era of high-throughput genetics

12 December 2009 | By

The use of RNAi screening to identify potential drug targets has enjoyed great success in recent years as a robust method for linking genes to a disease process through a functional assessment of a gene in an experimental model1. True, RNAi screening is complicated by problems such as off-target effects…

Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics – an overview

12 December 2009 | By

The journey from molecular target and early drug lead to the clinic is an arduous one with many hurdles to cross prior to developing a successful clinical candidate. The high rate of attrition of drug molecules has forced drug researchers to pay greater attention to drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK)…

Combining perspectives: Multiscale integration of Stem Cell research

12 December 2009 | By

The promise of stem cell-based therapy is predicated on harnessing the plasticity of stem cell phenotypes to repair or replace damaged tissues. As technologies for detecting, isolating, modifying, and tracking stem cells improve, the very definition of what constitutes a stem cell is now an open question. Addressing this fundamental…

A sensitive and selective vibrational spectroscopy technique in life sciences

12 December 2009 | By

At present, the relevance of Raman Spectroscopy (RS) as an analytical tool in pharmaceutical sciences is increasingly obvious. RS is a mode of vibrational spectroscopy based on inelastic scattering of laser light and, like infrared spectroscopy (IR), provides detailed molecular structure information (see Figure 1A). However, contrary to IR, it…

Lab Automation Roundtable

12 December 2009 | By

Participants: Dr Gordon R Alton, President and CEO, Altonyx Consulting / Dr Scott Bowes Scientist, Novartis / Dr Sheraz Gul, Vice President and Head of Biology, European ScreeningPort / Chris Molloy, Vice President of Corporate Development, IDBS

LabAutomation2010 – Where Science, Technology and Industry Come Together

12 December 2009 | By

In 2010 a diverse group of scientists, engineers and professionals from around the world will come together once again for this laboratory automation event. At LabAutomation2010 participants will develop long-lasting connections through networking and expand their minds by exploring cutting-edge information and strategies.

Aseptic preparation: The weakest link is getting stronger

12 December 2009 | By Gavin Halbert, Director, Cancer Research UK Formulation Unit, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde

The manufacture of sterile products attracts the greatest regulatory scrutiny of all product types, since manufacturing failures can be fatal and manufacturers are required to utilise the most robust sterilisation method possible to limit the probability of this occurring. However, aseptic preparation, which is the last resort manufacturing method, continues…

Novel and emerging sterilisation technologies

9 October 2009 | By Dr Edward Tidswell, Senior Director of Sterility Assurance, Baxter Healthcare; Ash Khorzad, Sterile Manufacturing Support Group Manager and Mike Sadowski, Director of Sterile Product Manufacturing Support, Baxter Healthcare Corporation

The increasing number and diversity of traditional patient therapies, medical devices, and combinatorial products has created an increasing world-wide interest in the innovation of novel sterilisation technologies. In contrast to traditional moist heat sterilisation processes, emerging technologies are diverse, predominantly reliant on physical processes, involve multiple mechanisms of microbial inactivation…

Next generation antibody therapeutics: Antibody fragments, dual-targeting strategies, and beyond…

9 October 2009 | By Dr Martin Scott, Molecular Cell Biologist, Biopharm R&D, GlaxoSmithKline and Dr Neil Clarke, Molecular Cell Biologist and Biology Section Leader, Biopharm R&D, GlaxoSmithKline

A multitude of novel therapeutic antibody formats based on modification of the conventional IgG format have arisen in recent years. The intensification of interest in this area reflects a pressing need for an additional repertoire of therapeutic molecules which retain the exquisite binding specificity and low intrinsic toxicity of monoclonal…

Raman spectroscopy in pharmaceutical analysis

9 October 2009 | By

A wide and versatile range of analytical techniques are routinely used, indeed are necessary, in pharmaceutical analysis. Over the past decade Raman spectroscopy has increasingly come to the fore as a valuable member of the arsenal of methods used, from both a fundamental and applied perspective, for the interrogation of…

Sleep changes as translational pharmacodynamic biomarkers

9 October 2009 | By

Pharmacodynamic biomarkers in drug discovery: Developing a new drug is an expensive and time-consuming business1-3. A substantial part of the overall cost of drug development is the investment in molecules that fails at some point during the development process and it is necessary to identify these compounds as early as possible.…