Scientists working to better identify potential cancer drugsNovember 2, 2018 - 13:10 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A new way of identifying potential cancer drugs could streamline the development of therapies, following a discovery by scientists, News Medical says. Researchers have devised a way to screen potential drug compounds to select those that interfere with tumor cells in two ways. Their study seeks to build on an existing approach of identifying drugs that target an essential protein in cancer cells, known as telomerase. Scientists hope to identify drugs that not only inhibit this protein but also induce errors when cancer cells divide packages of their DNA - known as chromosomes - to form new cells. An attack on two fronts could prevent cancerous cells from growing, and therefore kill tumors. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh, the Institute Curie in Paris, the National Cancer Institute of the US and the Kazusa DNA Institute of Japan tested drug compounds using artificial human chromosomes with in-built fluorescent markers. This allowed the team to easily detect when and how often drug treatment caused the loss of chromosomes. Drugs identified in this way were then tested in different types of cancer cells, to investigate exactly how they were able to disrupt chromosome division at a high rate. Researchers hope these newly identified drugs can inform development of more effective therapies. The study, published in Cancer Research, was supported by Wellcome, the US National Institutes of Health, and the Government of Japan. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Russia provides info about arrested Armenian ex-MP Russian law enforcement agencies have provided information about the arrest of Tigran Urikhanyan. Lemkin Institue slams Pashinyan's “cryptic engagement with Genocide denial” The Lemkin Institute is alarmed over Pashinyan’s statements “questioning Armenia's legal basis to pursue justice against Turkey”. 41 detained as antigovernment protests continue in Yerevan 41 people were detained in Yerevan as people demanding Pashinian’s resignation stage campaigns of civil disobedience. Armenia votes for UN resolution granting Palestine new rights The U.N. General Assembly voted by a wide margin on May 10 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine. |