Close
13/12/2017
ALBA Synchrotron Works for People’s Health
Two recent works remind us that ALBA synchrotron is a very valuable tool to help develop new drugs.

On one hand, using the MIRAS beam line of the ALBA synchrotron (infrared radiations), researchers from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and the ALBA Synchrotron have demonstrated in a paper the capability of metalosomes - aggregates made of phospholipids and metal complexes - to interact with cells and release carbon monoxide in a controlled way (CO release can be beneficial because of its anti-inflammatory, vasodilator and cardio protective properties).
 
On the other hand, in another publication, a team led by researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) has unveiled the mechanism of action of two drugs, FR60 and JNI18, which cure 100% of mice with sleeping sickness. Using X-rays of the ALBA XALOC beam line, they have observed how these drugs perfectly stacked on the Trypanosoma brucei’s DNA, the parasite that causes the disease (image). Blocking and inflicting specific damage on its DNA, the parasite cannot reproduce and finally dies after 4-5 days.
 

More news

31/03/2016 ICN2 Graphene-Based Sensors for Biomedicine and Brain-Machine Interfaces 21/03/2016 Halal Certification Awarded to Natura Bissé 16/03/2016 SENER is back to Mars 09/03/2016 Barcelona, 2016/17 Top European City for FDI Strategy 03/03/2016 NCD Beamline at ALBA Synchrotron: When X-Rays Make Chocolate Speak 24/02/2016 Barcelona DC Cluster from BSP at the 2016 Mobile World Congress Brokerage Event
26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36