The reign of trial and error draws to a close

Article Abstract:

'Rational' molecular design is the use of computer programming to design compounds with desired properties and functions. Scientists at the National Institutes of Health are currently using rational design to develop a 'magic' bullet, a molecule that could identify a specific cell type, such as a tumor cell and destroy it. For such a homing device, they used the recognition sites from an antibody, a natural substance that inactivates invading foreign particles. These sites, which are capable of sensing cell surface proteins, were then artificially attached to a lethal substance, specifically a bacterial toxin. The product was capable of destroying cells in tissue culture that had been infected with HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus which causes AIDS. Drug companies commonly use rational design techniques in order to reduce the numbers of variations of potential drugs tested in the laboratory. Ten thousand compounds are usually screened for every drug that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration; the use of rational design would save the pharmaceutical industry both time and money. Rational design has future applications in materials science and catalysis research, and areas of biochemical research, such as protein folding and stabilization of natural enzymes for industrial use. Although there are still many trial and error difficulties with the design process, the theory and practice of rational design should improve in the future.

Methods, Software, Product development, Pharmaceutical industry, Biological products, Protein research, Biotechnology

---

NIDA aims to fight drugs with drugs

Article Abstract:

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) plans to spend $27 million this year and up to $100 million a year in the early 1990s on research to find medications that would break the addiction to cocaine and other illicit drugs and medications, as well as restore some degree of normality to the brain function of drug addicts. Methadone has been partially successful in the treatment of heroin addiction. It has been hard to convince government officials that drug addiction is a biomedical problem and not just a law enforcement and moral problem. Further, the pharmaceutical industries are reluctant to develop these drugs, as there is no market beyond the drug abusers. Drug addicts, without government help, would not be able to pay for the medications. The government intends to work with pharmaceutical companies, recruiting patients and performing clinical trials to reduce the development risks for the companies. The need for these drugs is compounded by other social problems, including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which is spread by the sharing of needles of intravenous drug users.

Health aspects, Care and treatment, Research, Evaluation, Prevention, Drug abuse treatment, Drug abuse, AIDS (Disease), Methadone maintenance, United States. National Institute on Drug Abuse

---

On-line archives let biologists interrogate the genome

Article Abstract:

Genome databases have been developed that enable scientists to determine how their research findings relate to previous research. The National Library of Medicine's GenBank and the Dept of Energy's Genome Sequence Data Base are discussed.

Models, Information services, Genomes, United States. Department of Energy, Chromosome mapping, Database administration, United States. National Library of Medicine, Human anatomy

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Irreversible adsorption of naphthalene and tetrachlorobiphenyl to Lula and surrogate sediments. Development of a surrogate sediment to study the mechanisms responsible for adsorption/desorption hysteresis
• Abstracts: The wrong side of the tracks: Light rail transport still has much to offer, but its uptake is less than impressive
• Abstracts: UNIFAC prediction of aqueous and nonaqueous solubilities of chemicals with environmental interest. Irreversible adsorption of chlorinated benzenes to natural sediments: implications for sediment quality criteria
• Abstracts: Electrical glitch makes satellite blow its cover. Top performers when the top is up. Think sideways
• Abstracts: The triangular universe. Replumbing the Everglades

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.