BioSwift Talent

Lundbeck taps Charles River for AI-enabled neuro drug discovery 🧠🔬 Lundbeck has partnered with Charles River Laboratories to use the AI platform Logica in neuroscience drug discovery. Developed with Valo Health, Logica combines machine learning, tissue biology, and patient data to streamline drug development. Lundbeck aims to apply this technology to central nervous system disorders, potentially improving outcomes and creating targeted therapies, as noted by Dr. Tarek Samad, head of global research. It's exciting to see how Lundbeck is harnessing AI to push the boundaries of neuroscience research, this could really lead to breakthroughs in treating brain disorders! Link in the comments for the full story. 🌐

New pathway linking neuron selectivity to cognitive disorders uncovered 🧠🔗 Johns Hopkins researchers have found that calcium permeable (CP)-AMPA receptors reduce the selectivity of certain neurons, making them less responsive to specific external cues. This discovery, published in Nature, may help in understanding conditions like schizophrenia, epilepsy, and autism. The study, led by Ingie Hong, Ph.D., and Richard Huganir, Ph.D., shows that CP-AMPA receptors inhibit parvalbumin (PV) neurons, affecting how the brain processes information. It’s fascinating how understanding a single receptor like CP-AMPA could potentially unlock new ways to approach complex brain disorders like schizophrenia and autism! Link in the comments for the full story. 🌐

CAMP4, BioMarin ink research deal for genetic disease targets 🔬🤝🧬 CAMP4 Therapeutics has partnered with BioMarin to work on developing treatments for genetic diseases. BioMarin gains the rights to select two targets from CAMP4’s RNA platform, which is designed to address diseases by optimizing protein expression. The collaboration focuses on using regulatory RNAs to develop innovative therapies. BioMarin will provide an upfront payment, with potential milestones and royalties included in the deal. It's exciting to see BioMarin teaming up with CAMP4 Therapeutics, this partnership could open up some really promising avenues for tackling genetic diseases with RNA-based therapies! Link in the comments for the full story. 🌐

CheekAge can accurately predict the risk of mortality, study shows 🔬👵➡️📅 Not everyone ages at the same rate, with genetics, lifestyle, and behavioral factors like stress, poor sleep, and smoking influencing the pace of aging. These factors leave epigenetic marks on our genome, allowing scientists to measure molecular aging through epigenetic clocks. Over the past decade, clocks based on DNA methylation in blood cells were developed, but collecting these samples can be burdensome. Recently, scientists introduced CheekAge, a second-generation epigenetic clock using easily collected cheek cells. A new study shows CheekAge can accurately predict mortality risk, even when using epigenetic data from other tissues. It's fascinating how something as simple as a cheek swab can offer such deep insights into our health and longevity, makes you think about how much our everyday choices really impact us! Link in the comments for the full story. 🌐

A med tech Sales VP I spoke to was the top performer in his company 💰 Until management made her sell the underperforming products only. What happened? Being an extremely persistent and motivated person, she spent months trying to establish a market for these products. But there simply wasn't a product market fit. So she came to me for help in finding her next role, and her company is about to lose their top performer and multi-millions of revenue... 🤦♂️ Even with the best salespeople on the planet, product-market fit is still a thing... Let your top performers keep doing what they do best & they will love you for it. Change what they are doing without consulting them and suffer the consequences! ⚡

Scientists uncover role of Wnt in kidney formation 🔬🧠 Scientists from USC Stem Cell, led by Andy McMahon, published two complementary studies revealing new insights into the role of Wnt signaling in the development of the mammalian kidney. The Wnt pathway, essential in multicellular life, has been studied for decades due to its role in development and disease. The research highlights how different levels of Wnt signaling can have profound effects on stem and progenitor cells, particularly in kidney formation. It's incredible how something like the Wnt pathway, which has been around since the early days of multicellular life, plays such a crucial role in something as complex as kidney development, science never ceases to amaze me! Link in the comments for the full story. 🌐

With the terrible weather, one of my candidates said they were on a flight with a lot of turbulence. We concluded that just because there is going to be turbulence doesn't mean you shouldn't take the flight. Changing careers is, in many ways, very similar. Most career changes are turbulent. There will be many ups and downs, and often, you may not even end up where you planned to go. Although it is not always comfortable, it is often much better than staying put. Planes were meant to fly, not stay put. So were you! (that's why I called my company BioSwift! 🕊️)

Study uncovers biological drivers of plasma proteins, offering new insights for disease biomarkers and drug discovery 🔬🧬 A study in Nature Metabolism mapped 4,775 plasma proteins, revealing that both non-modifiable factors (age, genetics) and modifiable ones (inflammation, lifestyle) influence their levels. It identified nearly 600 proteins as potential drug targets and uncovered links between certain proteins and diseases, offering new paths for personalized medicine and biomarker discovery. It's exciting to see how this research could lead to more personalized treatments and really change how we approach disease prevention. Link in the comments for the full story. 🌐

Basilea scores $268M BARDA funding deal to work on antifungals, antibiotics 💰💊 Basilea Pharmaceutica has secured up to $268 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services over more than a decade to develop new antifungals. The agreement with BARDA will provide $29 million initially to advance its antifungals fosmanogepix and BAL2062. Fosmanogepix is preparing for a phase 3 trial for invasive yeast infections, while BAL2062 targets molds like Aspergillus. The total funding will depend on achieving specific clinical and regulatory milestones. It's exciting to see Basilea Pharmaceutica receive such substantial support for developing innovative antifungals, especially given the growing need for effective treatments against resistant infections. Link in the comments for the full story. 🌐

Epigenetic switch controls renin production in unexpected cell type 🧫🩸 Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine discovered how certain cells, like smooth muscle cells in the kidney, can transform their function to help control blood pressure by producing renin when blood pressure drops. Normally, renin is produced by specialized kidney cells, but in low blood pressure conditions, other cells take on this role. The researchers identified a biological "switch" that triggers this transformation, which could lead to new treatments for high blood pressure and vascular diseases. It's fascinating how our bodies can adapt at a cellular level like this, really makes you appreciate the hidden complexities of something as simple as controlling blood pressure! Link in the comments for the full story. 🌐