Chapters authored
Computer-Aided Biosensor Design
Amperometric biosensors are widely used in point-of-care medical devices that help patients control blood glucose and cholesterol levels in an effective and convenient way. On the other hand, computer-aided technologies for biosensor design remain an actively developing field. In this chapter, we present a computational model for biosensor design that uses a reaction-diffusion equation. We have successfully applied this model to simulate cholesterol analysis based on a multienzyme system. Furthermore, we show that this computer-aided approach can be used to optimize biosensor performance. This model can be applied to industry-grade biosensor development and can be easily extended to model multiple types of biosensors for a wide array of clinical applications.
Part of the book: Computer-aided Technologies
Chemical Similarity Networks for Drug Discovery
Chemical similarity networks are an emerging area of interest in medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, and systems chemoinformatics that are currently being applied to drug target prediction, drug repurposing, and drug discovery in the new paradigm of poly-pharmacology and systems biology. In this chapter, we discuss the network-based drug target identification and discovery framework called chemical similarity network analysis pull-down (CSNAP) and its applications. We highlight the utility of CSNAP in identifying novel antimitotic drugs and their targets through practical case studies.
Part of the book: Special Topics in Drug Discovery
E3 Ubiquitin Ligases in Cancer and Their Pharmacological Targeting
Ubiquitination plays many critical roles in protein function and regulation. Consequently, mutation and aberrant expression of E3 ubiquitin ligases can drive cancer progression. Identifying key ligase-substrate relationships is crucial to understanding the molecular basis and pathways behind cancer and toward identifying novel targets for cancer therapeutics. Here, we review the importance of E3 ligases in the regulating the hallmarks of cancer, discuss some of the key and novel E3 ubiquitin ligases that drive tumor formation and angiogenesis, and review the clinical development of inhibitors that antagonize their function. We conclude with perspectives on the field and future directions toward understanding ubiquitination and cancer progression.
Part of the book: Ubiquitin Proteasome System