Unknown modes of action for known drugs: High-throughput screening reveals potential side effects and additional uses

Researchers at the University of Basel are able to test in parallel the effects of over 1,500 active substances on cell metabolism. Their analysis also led to the discovery of previously unknown mechanisms for known medications. This approach might help scientists to better predict side effects and find additional uses for commercially available pharmaceuticals.

An injectable hydrogel for local bone densification offers hope for osteoporosis patients

Osteoporosis is a disease in which bone resorbs faster than it is formed, gradually weakening its structure over time and leading to fractures. Although the condition is well recognized, Dominique Pioletti, head of the Laboratory of Biomechanical Orthopedics in EPFL’s School of Engineering, emphasizes that the economic and societal impacts of osteoporosis fractures are often underestimated.