November 2021- Volume 17, Issue 11
In this Issue
Editors Insight
Ivermectin is a wonder drug, but not a cure-all
Ivermectin is a wonder drug, but not a cure-all
Before its COVID-19 era hype, ivermectin was already a wonder drug for parasitic infections. Its renewed interest underscores the need for effective COVID-19 treatments and communication on proper research study design and analysis.
Dermatology
Larva therapy makes a comeback
Larva therapy makes a comeback
A centuries-old wound-cleaning technique is finding its place in modern medicine.
Fish skin heals the toughest wounds
Fish skin heals the toughest wounds
Researchers from Iceland to Brazil investigate the healing powers of fish skin, providing a low-cost and improved solution for treating wounds.
Neosporin may slow wound healing
Neosporin may slow wound healing
The commonly used ointment Neosporin may disrupt skin’s regenerative microbiome, delaying healing.
Cancer
Meet the microrobots primed to take down cancer
Meet the microrobots primed to take down cancer
Sperm, bacteria, bubbles, and shuttles are just some of the latest cancer-treating microrobots in development for human use in the next few years.
New targets for lung cancer treatment
New targets for lung cancer treatment
A young cancer researcher made a big splash when she discovered that inhibiting DNA damage response proteins sensitizes treatment-resistant lung cancer cells to immunotherapy.
A new AI tool identifies generic drugs with anticancer potential
A new AI tool identifies generic drugs with anticancer potential
Researchers use machine learning to identify generic drugs that are promising candidates for affordable and accessible cancer treatments.
A promising protein degrader trashed a key oncogenic protein
A promising protein degrader trashed a key oncogenic protein
Targeting oncogenic transcription factors like MYC is challenging, but researchers found a way to target its regulator, WDR5, for degradation, exemplifying the capacity of protein degraders to target the “undruggable.”
Metabolism
Genetic variation in metabolic genes affects drug responses
Genetic variation in metabolic genes affects drug responses
People metabolize drugs differently, changing the effectiveness and toxicity of drugs between individuals. Genetic testing to identify mutations in metabolic genes that may affect how someone processes a drug is an important step towards precision medicine that is becoming more common in the clinic.
Connecting researchers and patients to cure mitochondrial diseases
Connecting researchers and patients to cure mitochondrial diseases
Philip Yeske was an organic chemist for more than 20 years, but when his daughter died from the rare mitochondrial disorder Leigh Syndrome, he turned to connecting researchers, patients, and law makers to speed the discovery of treatments.
Milestone
100 years of insulin: from discovery to delivery
100 years of insulin: from discovery to delivery
The long history of insulin discovery and its development for treating diabetes is marked with determination and serendipity, collaboration and controversy.
Psychiatry
A neurosteroid hope for postpartum depression
A neurosteroid hope for postpartum depression
A pioneer in reproductive psychiatry, Samantha Meltzer-Brody investigates new therapeutics for depression during and after pregnancy.
Drug safety during pregnancy
Drug safety during pregnancy
Pregnant people with mental health disorders such as depression or bipolar disorder often face an impossible decision: risk their health or their future child's health by discontinuing or continuing their medication.
Psilocybin may effectively treat addiction
Psilocybin may effectively treat addiction
Psilocybin research was "outlawed" in the 70s, but it's back now. It may offer a powerful new tool for treating addictions to substances such as alcohol, cigarettes, and opioids.
