GENIO italiano Giuseppe Cotellessa

Researchers Solve Structure of SARS-CoV-2 Viral Copy Machine /  I ricercatori hanno risolto la struttura della copia virale della SARS-CoV-2 Segnalato dal Dott. Giuseppe Cotellessa /  Reported by Dr. Giuseppe Cotellessa When someone becomes infected with the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen proliferates rapidly in the cells of the infected person. To do so, the virus has to multiply its genetic material, which consists of a single long RNA strand. This task is performed by the viral 'copy machine', the so-called polymerase. Scientists led by Patrick Cramer at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen, Germany, have now determined the 3D structure of the corona polymerase. This makes it now possible to investigate how antiviral drugs such as remdesivir – which blocks the polymerase – work, and to search for new inhibitory substances. “In view of the current pandemic we wanted to help,” Max Planck Director Cramer says. “We have e

How antibody tests work and could help fight the coronavirus /  Come funzionano i test anticorpali e come potrebbero aiutare a combattere il coronavirus Segnalato dal Dott. Giuseppe Cotellessa / Reported by Dr. Giuseppe Cotellessa Coronavirus antibody tests look for signs in the blood that someone has had an infection and recovered, and could take only a finger prick. But questions about the tests’ accuracy remain. /  I test sugli anticorpi del coronavirus cercano segni nel sangue che qualcuno abbia avuto un'infezione e si sia ripreso e che potesse prendere solo una puntura del dito. Ma rimangono domande sull'accuratezza dei test The United Kingdom has ordered 3.5 million antibody tests, which would show whether someone has been exposed to COVID-19. Such tests, which just take a drop of blood, could help reveal people who have been exposed to the virus and are now likely immune, meaning they could go back to work and resume their normal lives. Antibodies a

Exploring the Potential of Antibody–Drug Conjugates /  Esplorare il potenziale dei coniugati anticorpo-farmaco Segnalato dal Dott. Giuseppe Cotellessa / Reported by Dr. Giuseppe Cotellessa Antibody – drug conjugates (ADCs) are a relatively new class of biological drugs – created by attaching a therapeutic agent to an antibody via a linker. ADCs are being designed as highly targeted therapies, delivering drugs with very high specificity to disease cells. The UK registered and self-funding charity  LifeArc  has several ADC programs in the oncology and non-oncology space.  Technology Networks  recently had the pleasure of speaking with Dr Laura Murch, Scientist, Biology at LifeArc, to learn more about ADCs. She highlights some of the antibody characterization assays they have developed to identify candidate ADCs, and touches on the regulatory success of ADCs.  Laura Lansdowne (LL):  What are the key benefits of ADCs? Laura Murch (LM):  Antibody – drug conjugates (ADCs) are made