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Techniques in kinase profiling

The role of kinases in human disease is well known in the drug discovery world, making them significant therapeutic intervention points. There are over 500 known kinases in the human kinome and over 150 are mutated or misregulated in various disease states. However, developing a selective kinase inhibitor can be both challenging and time consuming. […]

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Engaging with the innovators of tomorrow

At Medicines Discovery Catapult we like to collaborate and help young data scientists get into pharma. “The best minds of my generation are thinking about how to make people click ads. That sucks.” – Jeff Hammerbacher That’s why we have partnered with University of Sheffield Data Analytics MSc. Providing a project and dataset that will […]

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If you liked c1cccnc1, you’ll love c1cncnc1

One of our collaborators, Intellegens, recently published a great paper in JCIM – Imputation of Assay Bioactivity Data Using Data Learning – focusing on applying Deep Learning approaches to tackle the problem of sparse data, a recurring issue in drug discovery. Sparse data typically arise when compounds are being assayed against multiple biological targets, but […]

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A guide to sourcing biosamples

Medicines Discovery Catapult and the BioIndustry Association stated in their 2018 State of the Discovery Nation Report, that: “… over 80% of SMEs surveyed agreed that access to biosamples is hugely important for commercial development” and “… as many as 80% found accessing UK samples unexpectedly difficult…” A major recommendation of this report was that […]

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Using AI in drug discovery

In recent years, machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have become widely popularised in all areas of modern life, and drug discovery is no exception. Why AI? The benefit of AI for detecting novel drug-target interactions, or even in silico design of novel drug-like compounds, is clear. The possible chemical search space of potentially synthesizable […]

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The many ways charities can boost innovation in medical research

Among the wealth and diversity of stakeholders that bring science out of the laboratories and closer to patients, charities are usually regarded as the hands-off funders of research. However, an increasing number of biomedical research charities have been taking a more proactive and involved role in boosting innovation in the therapeutic areas they support. Action […]

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International Women’s Day – 5 questions with Dr Gemma Holliday

1. What challenges have you faced, as a woman, entering this industry? The biggest by far is Imposter Syndrome, I think most people will suffer from this at some point in their lives (and I don’t just mean women!). It’s not an easy one to overcome either – and the only advice I can offer […]

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New methods to improve the translation of biomedical science towards clinical trial success

It is now over ten years since John Ioannidis published his essay on ‘Why most published findings are false’. This paper presented statistical arguments to remind the research community that a finding is less likely to be true if: 1) study size is small, 2) effect size is small, 3) a protocol is not pre-determined […]

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The (re)emergence of an Oncology drug discovery ecosystem

Attending the recent BioNow Oncology event at Alderley Park, I was struck by the strength of an Oncology drug discovery interdisciplinary community in the North West, which hardly existed at all a few years ago. Or, perhaps more accurately, did exist but was hidden behind the tall walls of Pharma. Many ex-AstraZeneca scientists have emerged […]

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