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Bioengineered ankyrin compounds show high in vitro activity against SARS-CoV-2 mutants

A new study describes the use of DARPin (designed ankyrin repeat proteins) therapeutic agents, each of which contains three different DARPin domains within the same molecule.

8 Feb 2021

COVID-19 pandemic and nanotechnology

Writing in the International Journal of Nanomedicine, Professor Dongki Yang, from the Department of Physiology, Gachon University, South Korea, has reviewed the available knowledge on the coronaviruses, current approaches to tackle the newly emerged SARS-CoV-2 infection, and the innovative application of nanotechnology in the COVID-19 pandemic.

8 Feb 2021

Assistant professor from University of Tennessee receives $1.9 million for retinal research

Thirumalini Vaithianathan, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology, Addiction Science, and Toxicology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, has spent a decade studying molecular signaling involved in vision. She has just received $1.9 million from the National Eye Institute for her project titled, "Dynamics of calcium signals control neurotransmitter release in retinal ribbon Synapses".

5 Feb 2021

SHREK proteins mediate broad spectrum antiviral host immunity, including against SARS-CoV-2

A new preprint posted to the bioRxiv server demonstrates that similar mucins and mucin-like proteins cannot only suppress HIV-1 infectivity via blockage of viral attachment to the host cells but can block infection by multiple enveloped viruses.

4 Feb 2021

Imaging SARS-CoV-2 with a helium ion microscope for the first time

Scientists at Bielefeld University's Faculty of Physics have succeeded for the first time in imaging the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus with a helium ion microscope.

4 Feb 2021

Monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 spike's N-terminal prove highly protective in vivo

A new study server reports highly protective neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2.

4 Feb 2021

Nasodine antiseptic nasal spray shows potential antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2

A team of international scientists has recently investigated the efficacy of PVP-1, a complex of polyvinylpyrrolidone and iodine, in preventing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Using in vitro cell culture settings, the scientists observe that PVP-1 formulation used in a commercially available nasal spray (Nasodine) readily inactivates SARS-CoV-2 within a short period of time.

3 Feb 2021

Highly conserved neutralizing epitope identified on SARS-CoV-2 spike protein

A recent study conducted at the University of Texas at Austin, USA, has identified a highly conserved neutralizing antibody binding site on the spike S2 domain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The study findings might help develop novel spike-targeting antibodies for widespread protection. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv preprint server.

2 Feb 2021

UQ researchers discover how the brain 'tangles' in Alzheimer's disease and dementia

University of Queensland researchers have discovered a new 'seeding' process in brain cells that could be a cause of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

2 Feb 2021

Simvastatin is a promising drug candidate for treatment of ovarian clear cell carcinomas

Oncotarget recently published "Simvastatin is a potential candidate drug in ovarian clear cell carcinomas" which reported that based on previous studies, the authors assessed the anti-proliferative effect of simvastatin, a Rho GTPase interfering drug, in three OCCC cell lines: JHOC-5, OVMANA and TOV-21G, and one high-grade serous ovarian cancer cell line, Caov3. The authors used the Rho GTPase interfering drug CID-1067700 as a control.

2 Feb 2021

ZyCoV-D DNA vaccine immunogenic against SARS-CoV-2 in animal models

In the absence of effective therapeutics or preventives, vaccines have become the focus of attention. Though over 170 vaccines are in preclinical and about 60 in clinical development, very few are based on plasmid DNA technology. However, a new preprint research paper posted to the bioRxiv* server reports the immunogenicity of a DNA vaccine candidate.

2 Feb 2021

Can metformin reduce mortality in diabetic individuals with severe COVID-19?

A new study by researchers in China and the U.S. describes a round-up of the effects of commonly used hypoglycemic drugs on the outcomes of COVID-19 in diabetic patients.

1 Feb 2021

Inhaled single dose vaccine creates antibodies and prevents infection in rhesus macaques

Now, a new preprint research paper describes a chimpanzee adenovirus-vectored vaccine that, when administered intranasally in rhesus macaques, led to a robust immune response and demonstrated protection against infection by the virus that causes COVID-19, namely, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The preprint is published on the bioRxiv server.

1 Feb 2021

Study unravels relationship status of important receptor on immune and cancer cells

An important receptor on the surface of cancer and immune cells prefers to remain noncommittal; sometimes it is present as a single, sometimes as a pair. This was first shown by an MDC team in the journal PNAS, and will decisively advance the development of new medications.

30 Jan 2021

Researchers develop ‘next-generation vaccine platform’ against SARS-CoV-2

Researchers have designed a subunit vaccine based on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein co-administered with CpG (Oligodeoxyribonucleotides) adjuvant.

29 Jan 2021

Optimizing the structure of drug delivery systems can help target cancer cells

The main culprit in cancer is healthy cells that have gone rogue and acquire the ability to divide uncontrollably.

28 Jan 2021

Could spironolactone treat COVID-19-related pneumonia and pulmonary fibrosis?

Researchers have described the potential of the drug spironolactone, a potassium-sparing diuretic, and anti-androgen, in preventing or alleviating the severity of COVID-19 pneumonia, and in preventing pulmonary fibrosis.

27 Jan 2021

Rapid transmission of N501Y variants may be due to favorable effects on host receptor binding

Now, in new research posted to the preprint server bioRxiv*, scientists use an experimental structure of the Spike RBD domain co-crystallized with part of the ACE2 receptor and several in silico methods to analyze the possible impacts of three amino acid replacements (Spike K417N, E484K, N501Y) concerning ACE2 binding.

27 Jan 2021

Mutations in SARS-CoV-2 spike proteolytic cleavage sites may alter transmission dynamics

A study conducted by researchers at the University of Kentucky and the Washington University School of Medicine in the USA has revealed that mutations in the proteolytic cleavage site within the S2 subunit can alter the processing of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, affecting viral entry into host cells.

26 Jan 2021

Novel neutralizing antibodies targeting SARS-CoV-2 N-terminal domain discovered

A new study by US-based researchers shows the presence of protective antibodies that target the N-terminal domain (NTD) of the spike instead of the spike receptor-binding domain (RBD).

22 Jan 2021

Cell Membrane News and Research

Bioengineered ankyrin compounds show high in vitro activity against SARS-CoV-2 mutants

COVID-19 pandemic and nanotechnology

Assistant professor from University of Tennessee receives $1.9 million for retinal research

SHREK proteins mediate broad spectrum antiviral host immunity, including against SARS-CoV-2

Imaging SARS-CoV-2 with a helium ion microscope for the first time

Monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 spike's N-terminal prove highly protective in vivo

Nasodine antiseptic nasal spray shows potential antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2

Highly conserved neutralizing epitope identified on SARS-CoV-2 spike protein

UQ researchers discover how the brain 'tangles' in Alzheimer's disease and dementia

Simvastatin is a promising drug candidate for treatment of ovarian clear cell carcinomas

ZyCoV-D DNA vaccine immunogenic against SARS-CoV-2 in animal models

Can metformin reduce mortality in diabetic individuals with severe COVID-19?

Inhaled single dose vaccine creates antibodies and prevents infection in rhesus macaques

Study unravels relationship status of important receptor on immune and cancer cells

Researchers develop ‘next-generation vaccine platform’ against SARS-CoV-2

Optimizing the structure of drug delivery systems can help target cancer cells

Could spironolactone treat COVID-19-related pneumonia and pulmonary fibrosis?

Rapid transmission of N501Y variants may be due to favorable effects on host receptor binding

Mutations in SARS-CoV-2 spike proteolytic cleavage sites may alter transmission dynamics

Novel neutralizing antibodies targeting SARS-CoV-2 N-terminal domain discovered

Leveraging the power of automation to boost research

Automating research - solutions and best practices

How can microdialysis benefit drug development

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