Circular mRNA may improve treatments
SoP researchers are changing the shape of the fight against COVID, cancer and more. Although they’ve been effective at preventing the virus, the VCU School of Pharmacy’s Guizhi “Julian” Zhu, Ph.D., notes that mRNA molecules used in those vaccines still have room for improvement: Their linear shape makes them more susceptible to being broken down […]
To fight cancer recurrence, VCU experts go right to the source
By Lewis Brissman If you think of cancer as a grizzly bear, an attack isn’t the only danger you face. An equal worry is the hibernation. Dr. Umesh Desai is – metaphorically, of course – targeting the beast in both states In the VCU School of Pharmacy, Desai is chairman of the Department of Medicinal […]
Opioids and HIV: The mystery of the ‘bouncer’ in the brain
By Greg WeatherfordVCU SoP News The opioid epidemic that has devastated families and lives across the U.S. in the past decade has brought along with it another deadly problem: HIV. The two conditions have long been intertwined. As the use and misuse of opioids has increased and spread, rates of HIV have as well. To make […]
A link in the chain: Building on his mentor’s work, Martin Safo closes in on sickle cell treatment
By Greg Weatherford School of Pharmacy News For 30 years, Martin Safo, Ph.D., has worked to find a solution to a complex puzzle: How can chemistry stop human blood cells from twisting and sticking together? The answer is critical for millions of people with sickle cell disease. Their blood cells fold into bizarre shapes including […]