Natural molecule derivatives as Topoisomerase Poisons – Insights into chemotherapeutic failure

By Syed Moiz Ahmed

Contribution participating in the INPST 2018 Science Communication Awards contest.

With the rapid increase in our understanding of disease biology, it is quite evident that treatment outcomes are dependent on patient molecular profiles. The focus is now to get the right treatment to the right patient allowing for greater safety and efficacy. The authors have shed light on a molecular biomarker that could potentially be used in this new treatment paradigm. 

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Recent progress in natural drug development

By Prof. Marc Diederich and James Bowers PhD

 1. Antique anti-coagulants may hold the key to a new lung cancer treatment

 Genetic variations in patients can render lung cancer medicines ineffective. Prof. Marc Diederich and his colleagues ascertained a biscoumarin-derivative to target patients that are resistant to other treatments.

 Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the world and, with such a crucial role of this organ in the human body, it’s easy to understand the importance of finding an effective cure. Current research into finding new treatments aims at seeking molecules that can attack specific cancer cells. However, not every patient or cancer are the same due to genetic variation and this means that we are unlikely to find a one-size-fits-all medicine. A simple difference in the genetic code can make cancer cells resistant to treatments.

I1, By Marc Diederich, Dicoumarol, Diallyl sulfides from garlic Continue reading “Recent progress in natural drug development”