Recent publications

• Novel oral LAAM immediate-release capsules for treating opioid use disorder August 4, 2025
  Levo-alpha-acetylmethadol (LAAM) has a long duration of action offering numerous behavioral and clinical advantages for treating opioid use disorders. In this study, we aim to develop a novel oral immediate-release capsule of LAAM, as an alternative to methadone, the major medication that requires daily visits. LAAM solid dispersion-coated pellets were developed with VIVAPUR® MCC Spheres […]
  Zixuan Zhen
• Intracellular fatty acid levels differentially impact target silencing by FDA-approved siRNA drugs July 29, 2025
  With seven approved and many more anticipated over the next decade, small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutics have emerged as an innovative class of nucleic acid-based drugs, offering potential treatments for both rare and common diseases. A substantial portion of the patient population affected by these diseases may also present with obesity and metabolic-associated fatty liver […]
  Sherouk M Tawfik
• Structure and function of reader proteins that recognize methylated RNA residues July 24, 2025
  Recent years have seen significant advances in our understanding of the importance of RNA methylation as an essential mechanism of post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. RNA methylation is a reversible process relying on the traditional classes of epigenetic 'writer', 'eraser', and 'reader' proteins to install, remove, and recognize methylated residues. While general RNA binding proteins […]
  Ruth M Ogboye
• Unraveling the Regulatory Impact of LncRNA Hnf1aos1 on Hepatic Homeostasis in Mice July 23, 2025
  Background/Objectives: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play significant roles in tissue development and disease progression and have emerged as crucial regulators of gene expression. The hepatocyte nuclear factor alpha antisense RNA 1 (HNF1A-AS1) lncRNA is a particularly intriguing regulatory molecule in liver biology that is involved in the regulation of cytochrome P450 enzymes via epigenetic mechanisms. […]
  Beshoy Armanios
• Two distinct protein-protein interfaces drive cooperative binding of the herpes simplex virus protein ICP8 to ssDNA, filament formation and annealing essential for viral replication July 20, 2025
  Herpes Simplex Virus replicates by forming DNA concatemers using a single strand annealing (SSA) mechanism mediated by the multifunctional HSV protein ICP8. ICP8 binds cooperatively to form nucleoprotein filaments on ssDNA and promotes annealing of complementary single strands. These functions are believed to be mediated by ICP8:ICP8 protein-protein interactions between the flexible C-terminal domain of […]
  Katherine A Discipio
• Editorial: Pharmacogenomics for improving drug safety and efficacy in cancer July 16, 2025
  No abstract
  Zhiyao He
• Anti-TIGIT therapies: a review of preclinical and clinical efficacy and mechanisms July 15, 2025
  TIGIT (T cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains) has garnered interest as a next-generation anti-cancer immunotherapy target, yet its development has been marred by recent clinical failures. This review explores clinical and preclinical studies on TIGIT, examining antibody therapies, co-targeting with other checkpoint inhibitors, mechanistic signaling models, and the role of the Fc region. […]
  Erin C Sundstrom
• Impact of salt on AAV8 capsid aggregation with single-stranded DNA: insights from coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations June 18, 2025
  This study employed coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CG-MD) simulations to explore the aggregation dynamics of adeno-associated viral (AAV) capsids under various ionic conditions, with a particular focus on the effects of sodium chloride (NaCl) and magnesium chloride (MgCl(2)). Our simulations revealed that AAV8 capsid aggregation was observed at lower concentrations of NaCl (0.05 M) possibly due […]
  Leila Sharifi
• Molecular Dynamics of Lipid Nanoparticles Explored through Solution and Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy and MD Simulations June 11, 2025
  Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are a critical platform for nucleic acid delivery, characterized by their kinetic assemblies and structural complexity. In this study, we integrated solution and solid-state NMR with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to probe lipid dynamics in therapeutic siRNA-encapsulated LNP formulations over a temperature range of 30 °C to -50 °C. Using ¹H-^(13)C cross-polarization […]
  Ryan Schroder
• Mucoadhesive in situ forming Gels: Bridging Formulation design and physiological Realities June 11, 2025
  Thermosensitive mucoadhesive in situ forming gels are sprayable liquids at room temperature, that form hydrogels which can adhere to the mucosal tissue at body temperature. These versatile drug delivery systems can be effectively utilized as localized drug delivery vehicles in the oral cavity. However, conventional methods to assess these products often overlook the influence of […]
  Radha Kulkarni
• The ASO drug olezarsen targets familial chylomicronemia syndrome June 6, 2025
  No abstract
  Jing Jin
• Nanodiscs and solution nuclear magnetic resonance May 27, 2025
  Although membrane proteins constitute a significant portion of the genomes of all species and represent well-validated targets for numerous therapeutic interventions, high-resolution structural knowledge of this class of proteins still falls behind that of their soluble counterparts. Despite serious technological developments in the methods presently available for structural characterizations, as well as decades spent on […]
  Olga Vinogradova
• In vitro-in vivo relationship and microstructural insights into long-acting levonorgestrel intrauterine systems May 19, 2025
  Despite the proven high contraceptive efficacy and safety of levonorgestrel intrauterine systems (LNG-IUSs), no generic versions are currently available in the US market. This is primarily due to the challenges in achieving qualitative and quantitative (Q1/Q2) similarity with the reference listed drug (RLD) stemming from structural and mechanistic complexities, as well as the ultra-long duration […]
  Suraj Fanse
• How could the affordable, reliable and continuous production of lipid nanoparticles revolutionize healthcare? May 6, 2025
  No abstract
  Luke Burroughs
• Deprotonation-Induced Large Fluorescence Turn ON in a 2,4-Bis(benzo[<em>d</em>]thiazol-2-yl)phenol (HBT-BT) Derivative May 5, 2025
  2-(2'-Hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazole (HBT) is an interesting candidate that has been used to develop fluorescent probes with large Stokes' shifts (Δλ > 100 nm) by utilizing excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT). The efficiency of the ESIPT process in HBT is dependent on the acidity of the central phenolic group. The possible deprotonation of the enol form of […]
  Kavinda M Arachchige
• Understanding drug release mechanisms of risperidone in situ forming implant depots in rabbits April 28, 2025
  Injectable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-based in situ forming implants are a promising long-acting drug delivery system. They are liquid formulations that solidify through solvent exchange to form drug-PLGA depots that become isolated from the surrounding tissue following injection. There have been limited studies focusing on in vivo drug release mechanisms for this dosage form. However, such […]
  Xiaoyi Wang
• Comparative pharmacokinetics of seven propargyl-linked antifolate antibiotics in the mouse April 10, 2025
  Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to existing antibiotics poses a critical global health challenge, with significant morbidity and mortality from bacterial infections. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant strains (VISA, VRSA) are among the most pressing threats, particularly for vulnerable populations. To combat this crisis, the development of novel therapeutic strategies is imperative. We report the pharmacokinetic […]
  John Hoody
• Recent advancements and future applications of intrauterine drug delivery systems April 7, 2025
  INTRODUCTION: Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are drug-device combination products that are placed inside the uterus above the endometrium. IUDs contain a therapeutic agent used for contraception and have been shown to have other therapeutic benefits. Over the past century, intrauterine drug delivery systems (IUDDS) have revolutionized women's health, and they hold immense growth potential in the […]
  Ashwin Abhang
• Photophysical behaviour and sub-cellular specificity of a pyrene-benzothazolium imaging dye: A study of regio-effect April 6, 2025
  Pyrene-based small-molecule fluorescent dyes have been widely used in biomedical imaging and sensing applications. Among them, pyrene-based π-acceptor (π-A) type probes are an important class of fluorescent dyes due to their ability to produce a large Stokes' shift (Δλ >100 nm) by strong intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) process. In this work, a pyrene-benzothiazolium-based π-A probe […]
  Kavinda M Arachchige
• Aging-induced microstructural evolution in risperidone loaded PLGA microspheres March 30, 2025
  This study demonstrates the application of innovative imaging-based characterization techniques to quantify structural changes as a function of ageing for poly (lactic-co glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres. Aging of polymers can potentially alter the performance of polymer-based therapeutics and therefore an understanding of the impact of aging on microsphere structure is important. Correlative focused ion beam […]
  Andrew G Clark