Preclinical News and Research

RSS

Targeting single gene reverses developmental deficits in adult mice

Some of the symptoms of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy may result from dysfunction of certain neurons in the brain and their ability to change their properties in response to experiences-a process called experience-dependent plasticity.

12 Aug 2026

Insilico Medicine nominates powerful oral drug candidate for the management of heart risks

Insilico Medicine, a clinical-stage generative artificial intelligence (AI)-driven drug discovery company, today announced the nomination of ISM0900, a potent, AI-driven, highly selective, orally available small molecule inhibitor of lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), as a preclinical candidate (PCC) for the management of cardiovascular risks.

12 Aug 2026

Cannabis compounds may weaken glioblastoma response to chemotherapy and radiation

Several cannabinoids reduced chemotherapy- and radiation-induced apoptosis in glioblastoma cell models, with effects linked to reduced apoptotic priming, increased pro-survival signaling, and G1 cell-cycle arrest. The findings raise concern that cannabinoid exposure could interfere with some cancer treatments, although the results are limited to laboratory models and require in vivo and clinical validation.

12 Aug 2026

How well you balance and move may say more about longevity than you think

Objective fitness testing in 13,423 older adults in Taiwan found that higher physical fitness was consistently associated with lower all-cause mortality over a median seven years. Balance and agility, lower-body strength, and cardiorespiratory fitness showed the strongest associations, while a composite fitness score produced the steepest mortality gradient.

11 Aug 2026

UH College of Pharmacy secures funding for three major health studies

University of Houston College of Pharmacy researchers have secured more than $1 million in new funding to support three separate studies targeting sepsis, Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, and depression in patients with sickle cell disease.

11 Aug 2026

New human tissue chips aim to replace animal testing

Animal testing has long been the standard for evaluating new drugs before they reach human patients. But when it comes to cancer immunotherapy drugs, animal models often fail to predict which immunotherapies might produce harmful side effects in humans because they do not have the same responses or the same cell receptors.

11 Aug 2026

One cognitive ability stood out in a study of Western diets and Alzheimer’s risk genes

A Western dietary pattern was associated with faster attention decline among older adults carrying the APOE ε4 allele, while no significant cognitive associations emerged for a Prudent dietary pattern. However, the Western diet association lost statistical significance after excluding participants with possible baseline cognitive impairment, making the finding exploratory.

11 Aug 2026

Early-life stress rewires brain epigenetics to heighten sensitivity to future stress

. Early-life stress increased SETD7 and H3K4me1 in the ventral tegmental area of mice, creating an epigenetically primed state that heightened later transcriptional, neuronal, and behavioral responses to stress. Reducing Setd7 during development lowered H3K4me1 and weakened these stress-sensitizing effects, identifying a mechanism that may help explain how early adversity leaves lasting biological effects.

11 Aug 2026

Broken String Biosciences launches BaseMap ABE to enable genome-wide off-target characterization in base editing therapeutic development

Broken String Biosciences, a biotechnology company enabling gene editing teams to accelerate development of safer, more effective genetic medicines, today announced the launch of BaseMap™ ABE. Built on the Company\'s INDUCE-seq® technology, BaseMap ABE extends the platform\'s capabilities to support adenine base editing (ABE) applications.

From Broken String Biosciences 10 Aug 2026

Natural hormone activates brain-to-liver signaling pathway to suppress liver inflammation

Researchers at McMaster University have discovered that a naturally occurring hormone best known for suppressing appetite and promoting weight loss also helps protect the liver from inflammation through a previously unknown signalling pathway, opening new possibilities for treating advanced fatty liver disease.

10 Aug 2026

Newly discovered protein pathway limits spinal cord injury damage

Spinal cord injury begins with immediate mechanical damage, but much of the lasting neurological loss develops during the secondary phase, when inflammation, oxidative stress and disrupted metabolism continue to injure surviving tissue.

10 Aug 2026

Why pulses could play a bigger role in healthy and sustainable diets

A narrative review finds that pulses may support gut and metabolic health through their fiber, protein, phytochemicals, and interactions with the gut microbiota, while offering a lower environmental footprint than many animal protein sources. Human evidence is strongest for selected cardiometabolic outcomes, while many microbiome and fermentation-related benefits remain supported mainly by animal and laboratory studies.

9 Aug 2026

Integrated nanomaterials offer new strategies for cancer immunotherapy

Immune checkpoint inhibitors, cancer vaccines and cellular therapies have reshaped oncology, yet most patients still do not achieve lasting benefit.

9 Aug 2026

Piezo ion channels: Key regulators of digestive health and disease

Mechanosensitive Piezo ion channels, particularly Piezo1 and Piezo2, are gaining recognition as central regulators of digestive system physiology and disease.

7 Aug 2026

Ferroptosis-based therapy shows promise for advanced prostate cancer treatment

A recent review explores the rapidly expanding field of ferroptosis-based therapy for prostate cancer, presenting ferroptosis as a promising strategy to overcome resistance in advanced and castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

6 Aug 2026

Study identifies a novel direct drug target for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Chemotherapy remains a cornerstone of treatment for head and neck cancers, the seventh-most common cancer type worldwide.

6 Aug 2026

Localized biochemical halo of IL-10 suppresses immune rejection of pancreatic beta cells

A protein known as interleukin 10 (IL-10) is the lynchpin of a new method to protect transplanted cells from host immune system aggression.

6 Aug 2026

Long-acting HIV prevention tools could help close the gap before a vaccine arrives

A review of non-vaccine HIV interventions highlights the strong preventive effects of long-acting PrEP, sustained ART, U=U, vertical transmission programs, and voluntary medical male circumcision. Gene editing and multispecific antibodies may expand future options, but safety, cost, access, adherence, and implementation barriers remain.

5 Aug 2026

International team builds comprehensive cancer models for future drug development

To develop new targeted treatments for cancer, scientists need tissue models that accurately represent the genetic and molecular traits of the cancer they're studying.

5 Aug 2026

Nerve-blocking therapy improves growth plate repair in injured bones

With the support of National Institutes of Health funding, Johns Hopkins Medicine investigators, led by pathologist Aaron W. James, M.D., Ph.D., previously discovered that sensory neurons in skeletal tissue are constantly sensing their environment and are quick to respond to injuries.

5 Aug 2026

Preclinical News and Research

Targeting single gene reverses developmental deficits in adult mice

Insilico Medicine nominates powerful oral drug candidate for the management of heart risks

Cannabis compounds may weaken glioblastoma response to chemotherapy and radiation

How well you balance and move may say more about longevity than you think

UH College of Pharmacy secures funding for three major health studies

New human tissue chips aim to replace animal testing

One cognitive ability stood out in a study of Western diets and Alzheimer’s risk genes

Early-life stress rewires brain epigenetics to heighten sensitivity to future stress

Broken String Biosciences launches BaseMap ABE to enable genome-wide off-target characterization in base editing therapeutic development

Natural hormone activates brain-to-liver signaling pathway to suppress liver inflammation

Newly discovered protein pathway limits spinal cord injury damage

Why pulses could play a bigger role in healthy and sustainable diets

Integrated nanomaterials offer new strategies for cancer immunotherapy

Piezo ion channels: Key regulators of digestive health and disease

Ferroptosis-based therapy shows promise for advanced prostate cancer treatment

Study identifies a novel direct drug target for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Localized biochemical halo of IL-10 suppresses immune rejection of pancreatic beta cells

Long-acting HIV prevention tools could help close the gap before a vaccine arrives

International team builds comprehensive cancer models for future drug development

Nerve-blocking therapy improves growth plate repair in injured bones

New Approach Methodologies, the 3Rs and Multimodal Imaging in Preclinical Research - eBook eBook

Latest eBooks

Industry Focus eBook - Analytical Chemistry (3rd edition)

Industry Focus eBook - Microbiome (1st edition)

Industry Focus eBook - Cell biology (5th edition)

Advancing degrader and proximity-based drug development

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics