A Fascination for the Human Microbiome for a Healthier Life
Trillions of microorganisms live in and on our body. It is estimated that there are 10-100 trillion microbes in a healthy human microbiome, outnumbering human cells by about 10 to…
The Not-So-Standard Kilogram
The kilogram is the base unit for mass, one of seven base units in the International System of Units (SI), currently defined as being equal to the mass of the…
Drug Lipophilicity and Absorption: The Continuous Challenge in Drug Discovery
Oral delivery is the well-known administrative drug discovery path accepted by both patients and manufacturers. According to a recent report published in Pharmaceutical Technology, achieving optimal physicochemical properties of biomolecules-including…
Screening for Group B Streptococcus Bacteria during Pregnancy Saves Lives
Prenatal screening tests are carried out at different stages in pregnancy and are extremely valuable in preventing diseases in newborns. One of the most important prenatal tests is for Group…
Difficult to Stomach: H. pylori and Gastric Cancer
It is well known to most of us that bacteria cause some of the deadliest infectious diseases in humans and animals, but did you know that bacteria can also cause…
Revolutionizing Business Through 3D Printing
What is 3D Printing? Charles W. Hull is the patent holder of the first 3D printing system described in 1986. Hull’s method, “stereolithography,” produces solid objects using digital data. Entire objects…
Arrest Bacterial Communication: Interfering with Quorum Sensing to Inhibit Biofilm Formation
Are you hesitant to enter the hospital emergency room, fearing that you may get infected with deadly bacteria? Well, this is something many of us are concerned about these days….
How to Talk like a Medicinal Chemist in 10 minutes
I have worked in the drug discovery area for decades, and I often find that scientists, new or outside the field, are very confused by the terminology used by medicinal…
Why is this Question-Mark-Shaped Pathogen Hurting Dogs in San Francisco?
Record-breaking rainfall in the San Francisco Bay Area has helped California emerge from the drought that has plagued the state for several years. However, this welcomed downpour has caused an…
Just because it is Natural does not mean it is Safe: San Francisco Woman Dies Drinking Exotic Herbal Tea
The use of plants for their medicinal properties is probably as old as humankind itself, with written records going back for thousands of years. Plants and plant-derived products still play…