Structure of important target for drug design found
Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2012 3:40 am
Researchers have uncovered a potent class of small molecules that selectively turn on the S1P1 receptor, a type of receptor in cells that can be targeted in the design of new treatments for diseases such as multiple sclerosis. These findings are reported in the Feb. 17 issue of the journal Science. The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health Common Fund and the National Institute of General Medical Science (NIGMS).
Structural biology is a field of study aimed at determining the molecular structure of biological molecules, such as proteins, and how alterations in their structures affect their function. The ability to determine how well different drugs bind to a protein receptor to turn on or turn off the receptor provides a powerful way to design new drugs that selectively target certain receptors and not others, a major stumbling block to drug development.... Read More - http://www.msrc.co.uk/index.cfm/fuseact ... ageid/1397