Tools and techniques
Discover tools and techniques supporting modern drug discovery, including assays, biomarkers, sequencing, molecular modelling, analytical technologies and translational research methods that improve target validation, therapeutic development, data generation and scientific decision-making.
Tools and techniques
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Tools and techniques
ArticleWhat makes a human biospecimen fit for purpose in drug discovery
Human biospecimens can bring drug discovery closer to human disease, but their value depends on far more than the sample itself. We explore the factors that determine how much researchers can learn from them.
ArticleWhy depression needs a different drug discovery strategy
What if depression is not one disease, but many biologically distinct conditions? A major research programme is investigating what this could mean for biomarkers, drug targets and treatment.
ArticleSix assay requirements every researcher using NAMs should know
As NAMs become more widely used in drug discovery, assays must meet the demands of more complex models. Discover six requirements for reliable, reproducible and biologically meaningful data.
ArticlePROTACs vs molecular glues: which degrader fits your target?
PROTACs and molecular glues can both remove disease-associated proteins, but choosing between them is not simple. Our new Discovery Toolkit compares the options to help discovery teams choose the right strategy.
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ReportBuilding biomarkers that drug developers can rely on
Discover how integrated technologies, multiomic approaches and AI are helping researchers translate complex biological signals into actionable tools for drug development and patient care.
ArticleHow rare genetic variants could uncover new drug targets
What if extreme levels of common traits have a different genetic basis? New research suggests rare, large-effect variants could help explain the extremes and identify potential drug targets.
ArticleHow AI-driven systems biology will reset the starting line for drug development
AI is making drug discovery faster, but can it make it more successful? Discover why combining AI with systems biology could help researchers tackle the biological complexity behind drug failure.
Article600+ patient-derived cancer models expand the search for drug targets
Hundreds of new patient-derived cancer models could strengthen target validation, identify cancer vulnerabilities and provide more representative systems for preclinical drug discovery.
ArticleWhy researchers are revisiting bisantrene decades after it was abandoned
An oncology drug abandoned decades ago is getting a second look, with new research uncovering a mechanism that could offer an alternative route to targeting MYC, one of cancer’s toughest targets.
ArticleWhy intracellular targets remain a major drug discovery challenge – and how they’re becoming druggable
Many biologically important intracellular targets remain difficult to drug. Dr Rab Prinjha examines how screening within living cells could help tackle them.
ArticleFibroblast barrier linked to immunotherapy resistance in colorectal cancer
Why do some colorectal cancers resist immunotherapy? Analysis of patient tumour samples has identified a population of fibroblasts that could help explain treatment resistance.
ArticleReducing drug development failures with human-relevant models and AI
Professor Joseph C. Wu of Stanford University explains how stem cells, human-relevant models and AI are helping researchers predict which drug candidates are most likely to succeed before clinical trials.
ArticleWhy inherited retinal disease treatment requires more than gene therapy
Most inherited retinal diseases still have no approved therapy despite advances in gene therapy. This article explores why researchers are targeting shared disease mechanisms alongside individual mutations.
ArticleInside one of the most comprehensive human proteome atlases to date
Understanding where proteins are expressed throughout the body is critical for selecting better drug targets. Here’s how a new human proteome atlas could improve target selection, predict toxicity and support drug repurposing.
ArticleHow spatial biology is tracking antibody drugs inside tumours
Many antibody therapies fail to reach all cancer cells within solid tumours. Researchers have developed a spatial biology technique that maps antibody distribution alongside the tumour microenvironment to investigate why.
ArticleSynthetic iMSCs: reprogramming ovarian cancer from the inside out
Ovarian cancer has long proved difficult to treat. Could the answer lie within the disease itself? Discover how synthetic iMSCs could reprogramme the tumour microenvironment and restore anti-tumour immunity.
ArticleOrgan chips move closer to drug discovery pipelines
From uncovering new drug targets to predicting human toxicity, organ chips are showing what they could bring to drug discovery. Professor Donald Ingber of Harvard University discusses where the technology is heading next.
ArticleFrom R&D to QC: building a single analytical strategy for cell and gene therapies
From early research to quality control, maintaining analytical continuity is no easy task. Could a single sequencing workflow help simplify analytical assessment?
ArticleAntibody recycling, FcRn and the next generation of biologics
One receptor can protect antibodies from degradation, extend their half-life and become a drug target itself. Explore the science behind FcRn and how researchers measure its function.
InterviewThe global push to reduce animal testing in drug development
Non-animal methods are already used throughout early drug discovery, yet animal testing continues to dominate regulatory safety assessment. Recent initiatives suggest change is coming, but significant scientific and practical challenges remain.