Tag: Drug discovery

Automated liquid handling systems can perform tasks significantly faster than manual methods, boosting laboratory throughput in high-demand fields like drug discovery. Liquid labs, which utilize such automation, represent a paradigm shift in scientific research by replacing repetitive, error-prone manual tasks with precise, high-speed robotic processes. This transition is enabling unprecedented levels of efficiency, accuracy, and innovation across multiple scientific disciplines.

Originating in the 1950s, the well plate has become a fundamental tool in analytical research and diagnostic testing laboratories worldwide. A well plate is a flat plate with multiple recessed cavities, known as 'wells', which serve as small test tubes for holding and processing liquid samples.

Trodusquemine is a naturally occurring aminosterol that has been shown to inhibit protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), and its natural source is a specific marine organism. Specifically, this intriguing compound was first isolated from the liver extracts of the spiny dogfish shark, *Squalus acanthias*. Its discovery highlights the rich potential of marine life in providing unique bioactive compounds for medical research.

According to the National Institutes of Health, comparative modeling is currently the most accurate computational method for predicting protein structure, especially when related proteins are available. This approach is a core component of what is comparative protein analysis, a broad field that uses biological comparisons to decipher function, structure, and expression.

The pyrrole ring system is a core component of vital natural products like heme in hemoglobin, illustrating its foundational biological importance. However, misconceptions persist about direct supplementation, largely due to confusion with a metabolic condition called pyrrole disorder. This article clarifies the distinction between the fundamental pyrrole molecule and its powerful, therapeutically active derivatives, which provide genuine health benefits.

Enzyme inhibitors, molecules that bind to enzymes and block their activity, play a crucial role in regulating essential biological processes within the human body. While enzymes themselves are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions, a surprising and important fact is that their activity must be carefully controlled, and inhibitors are a common way the body achieves this balance.