Research and development
Explore research and development advances across molecular biology, genetics, immunology, pharmacology, neuroscience and emerging scientific disciplines, highlighting discoveries, technologies and translational approaches that drive innovation throughout the drug discovery and therapeutic development pipeline.
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Research and development
ArticleDrug discovery in Q3 2026 – what changed and why it matters
Agentic AI, ultralarge virtual screening, molecular glues and human-relevant models were among the key developments in early drug discovery during Q3 2026. Drug Target Review examines what changed, why it matters and what to watch heading into Q4.
ArticleInduced proximity drugs – why complex formation is not enough
A drug can form exactly the complex it was designed to make and still fail to work. Two recently approved induced proximity drugs show why what happens after complex formation – not formation alone – can decide the outcome.
ArticleAI agents vs scientists: what should we automate in drug discovery?
AI agents can search, analyse and plan across drug discovery workflows, but where should scientists hand over control? We examine what to automate, what to check and where human judgement matters most.
ArticleHow disease exposes hidden epitopes that AI models may miss
A protein can look very different in disease without a single change to its sequence. Measuring these structural changes could reveal drug targets invisible to genomic and expression data alone.
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ArticleHow protective gene variants are revealing new drug targets
Finding the right drug target remains one of discovery’s biggest challenges. Human genetics is helping researchers strengthen the evidence before committing years of research and investment.
ArticleWhy AI struggles with new drug targets – and how physics could help
Virtual screening can assess billions of compounds, but performance can fall on unfamiliar targets. Combining AI with molecular physics could help make predictions more reliable.
ArticleTurning CNS biomarkers into better drug development decisions
Why do promising CNS therapies struggle to translate into patients? Three experts explore how biomarkers can track therapeutic effects, improve patient selection and guide development decisions.
ArticleFast-tracking AI-designed binders with cell-free expression and SPR
AI can rapidly generate new protein binders, but wet-lab validation remains a major bottleneck. Combining cell-free protein synthesis with surface plasmon resonance (SPR) enables AI-designed antibody binders to be screened directly from crude extracts, bypassing lengthy cell culture and purification steps.
ArticleSample collection: the overlooked key to genomic study success
As genomic studies become larger and more diverse, sample collection can make or break their success. Discover why collection strategy matters for recruitment, scale and data quality.
ArticleWhy more ribosomes can mean less protein in mRNA therapeutics
What happens when the cellular machinery making therapeutic proteins slows down? New research in Nature shows why translation speed could matter for the design of mRNA medicines.
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.
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.
ArticleTargeting childhood myopia progression with 7-methylxanthine
Childhood myopia researcher Dr Klaus Trier explores how 7-methylxanthine targets scleral remodelling and axial elongation, and its potential to slow disease progression and reduce the risk of high myopia.
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.
ArticleGene therapy’s biggest challenge is the cell’s own defence mechanisms
What if one of gene therapy’s biggest obstacles isn’t delivery, but the body’s own cells? Discover why DNA silencing is emerging as a major challenge for long-lasting genetic medicines.