SARS-BLOCK peptides docking with the ACE2 receptor
Using the original SARS-CoV-1 structure and the new sequence of SARS-CoV-2, we were able to design and simulate efficacious peptide inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 binding to the ACE2 receptor in 5 hours in February of 2020. These peptides effectively block the virus that causes COVID.
These sorts of approaches can be applied to far more than infectious disease. @Ligandal has developed a broad approach for simulating and designing synthetic peptides that can bind to virtually any class of surface markers, with many applications.
Much of our work has focused on packaging and delivering genetic materials and proteins, such as CRISPR, DNA, and mRNA. Coupling these predictive peptides to our delivery systems, we can unlock cell-specific genetic medicine for vast applications.
Stay tuned for more updates! :)
Here are some nanoparticles made entirely out of peptides, carrying mRNA, and designed to target specific cell types using similar approaches to the molecular modeling shown in the original post.
In the future, we will be able to direct genetic medicines to precise tissues and cells in the body, creating new paradigms for the treatment of many diseases. This is the vision that @Ligandal was formed on!

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More from @nanogenomic

Jan 24
@Ligandal is honored to be featured on @CrisprMedicine's list of Companies to Follow in 2022!

There are many companies that have various gene editing materials, and a small subset of companies that specialize in delivery of the gene editing, gene-reprogramming instructions.
See the full list here!
crisprmedicinenews.com/companies/
In order to create the next generation of precision genetic medicine, a number of approaches will have to be used to engineer cells, tissue and organs to be free of disease states or programmed to carry out specific functions, such as killing cancer cells.
Read 4 tweets
Jan 19
How does light exposure affect circadian rhythms and sleep cycles? This review article provides an analysis of many studies exploring the effects of different wavelengths and durations of light exposure on sleep. I was curious about blue vs. red-orange:

tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.108…
“Appleman et al. (2013) conducted a 12-day study where 21 subjects, randomly divided into two groups, received either short-wavelength (blue, peak 476 nm) light for 2h in the morning and light filtered (<535 nm) with orange-tinted glasses for 3h in the evening (advance group)…”
“…or at opposite times, that is orange-tinted glasses in the morning and blue light in the evening (delay group). Subjects kept their normal schedule for the first 5d and received morning and evening light exposures the following 7d in addition to a fixed sleep schedule…”
Read 8 tweets
Jan 13
EXPONENTIAL THINKING

…and why it is so important to understand with pandemics…

🧵
Some basic math on exponents:
y = x(r^n)
d = x(r^n)/c

If r is # of people infected per case (R0)
x is starting # of cases
n is number of exponential infection increases
1/c is fraction of cases leading to death

Then y is cases at time point n and d is deaths at time point n.
People must understand that cases increasing exponentially more (e.g. if r is twice as high between omicron and delta / wildtype) means that half, quarter or even 1/10th lethality per case will yield more deaths than if this exponent isn’t in place.
Read 6 tweets
Dec 31, 2021
We can do better.
I am an optimistic realist. I believe in our capacity to harness technology to improve the world and offset almost any kind of problem. The progress of scientific innovation is stunning and there is much to be grateful for. However, it is not a time to pat ourselves on the back.
Two years in, and messages like this were swiftly ignored and continue to be downplayed. We are not through the woods yet.
Read 8 tweets
Dec 30, 2021
Here is a comparison of actual Walgreens stock with what happens when you try to buy a rapid test for COVID. Impossible to do with @Uber, @Postmates, or @Instacart. Thousands of extra tests could be delivered in San Francisco if delivery services updated their catalogues.
Actual catalogue (<500 Abbott tests available in all of San Francisco Walgreens)
Rapid tests aren’t even SHOWN on the list of items that can be ordered.
Read 5 tweets

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