Category: Drugs development & discovery
- DeepDelivery AI identifies human-derived protein scaffolds for experimental mRNA delivery ()
Published November 1, 2026. A Nature Communications study published on October 31 introduces DeepDelivery, an AI platform that searches human proteins for components capable of supporting engineered mRNA delivery. Xun and colleagues screened the human proteome computationally and nominated 512 candidates. Of 15 selected proteins tested experimentally, 12 supported particle formation and mRNA delivery within […]
- KIF2C activation improves DNA repair and extends lifespan in progeria mice ()
Published November 1, 2026. A study published today in Nature Communications investigates whether activating the kinesin protein KIF2C can improve DNA repair and reduce features of premature aging. Macedo and colleagues tested a small-molecule KIF2C agonist in aged cells and cells derived from people with Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome or Down syndrome. They report improved repair […]
- ROBO1-targeted CAR T cells show preclinical activity against pediatric solid tumors ()
Published November 1, 2026. A study published in Nature Communications on October 31 identifies ROBO1 as a candidate CAR T-cell target for several pediatric solid tumors. Buhl and colleagues compared cell-surface proteins in patient-derived malignant rhabdoid tumor organoids and matched normal kidney organoids, integrating these measurements with gene-expression and protein data. ROBO1 showed strong, uniform […]
- Glioblastoma target GD2 changes with TGF-beta signaling in two cell-line models ()
Published October 31, 2026. GD2, a potential therapeutic target in glioblastoma, can change in opposite directions depending on the tumor cell model and its signaling environment. A study published today in Scientific Reports examined this variability in two laboratory cell lines. Researchers exposed U87-MG and U251-MG cells to TGF-β and measured gangliosides, gene expression, surface […]
- Research highlight examines age-specific targets for anti-tumor T cell function ()
Published October 31, 2026. An October 29 research highlight in Cell Research examines why age may matter when selecting targets to improve anti-tumor T cell function. It discusses an earlier Cell study of Dusp5 and Zfp219, rather than reporting a new clinical trial. In the original experiments, single-cell CRISPR screens identified two different routes to […]
- Self-supervised models improve Cell Painting profiling in drug-discovery benchmarks ()
Published October 31, 2026. Self-supervised AI models can extract useful cellular profiles directly from microscopy images, according to a large benchmark published October 29 in Nature Methods. Researchers pretrained four model families on roughly 1.77 million Cell Painting images covering 119,876 compounds from seven laboratories. Their pipeline operates without the cell segmentation and handcrafted feature […]
- MARRS recruits endogenous ADAR1 for efficient RNA editing in cells and mice ()
Published October 31, 2026. A new RNA editing system recruits a cell’s own ADAR1 enzyme using engineered RNA aptamers. The platform, called MARRS, was described October 28 in Nature Methods. The researchers combined repeated enzyme-binding aptamers with a circular RNA scaffold. These components engage the Zα domain of ADAR1 p150 and guide adenosine-to-inosine editing at […]
- Kaempferol reduces secondary brain injury measures in a mouse trauma model ()
Published October 31, 2026. Kaempferol reduced several measures of secondary damage after traumatic brain injury in mice, according to a study published October 30 in Scientific Reports. Using a fluid percussion injury model, researchers reported smaller lesions, less neuronal loss and better neurological, motor and cognitive outcomes in treated animals. They also observed reduced leakage […]
- Hydrogel and nanocapsules deliver growth factor to arthritic cartilage in preclinical experiments ()
Published October 30, 2026. A new experimental delivery system combines protein-carrying nanocapsules with an injectable hydrogel that adheres to cartilage. The approach, reported in Nature Communications, aims to keep a growth factor inside arthritic joints long enough to reach damaged cartilage. The system, called hydro/nano-bFGF, responds to enzymes associated with diseased tissue. Its hydrogel releases […]
- Donor mitochondria improve metabolism in cultured MELAS endothelial cells ()
Published October 30, 2026. Healthy donor mitochondria improved metabolism and cellular function in cultured endothelial cells affected by MELAS, a mitochondrial disorder, according to a study published today in Cell Death Discovery. Researchers observed uptake of the transferred mitochondria and expression of donor mitochondrial genes. Benefits appeared at both early and later measured time points; […]