Bio-IT Uses Information Technology to Shortcut Drug Discovery; New Bioinformatic Technology Bridges Gap Between Human Genome and Drug Design.Business Editors/Biotechnology Writers HERZALIYA, Israel--(BW HealthWire)--Jan. 20, 2000 A new Israeli company has developed an information-based technology that dramatically shortens the drug discovery process. Bio-IT, (Bio-Information Technologies Ltd.) using a breakthrough computational tool is able to predict the 3-dimensional structure of proteins that can lead to drugs for the treatment of major diseases. Bio-IT's technology bridges the gap between information provided by the Human Genome The human genome is the genome of Homo sapiens, which is composed of 24 distinct pairs of chromosomes (22 autosomal + X + Y) with a total of approximately 3 billion DNA base pairs containing an estimated 20,000–25,000 genes. Project and the design of disease-fighting molecules. The mapping of the Human Genome provides the DNA sequence DNA sequence Genetics The precise order of bases–A,T,G,C–in a segment of DNA, gene, chromosome, or an entire genome. See Base pair, Base sequence analysis, Chromosome, Gene, Genome. of proteins that control certain diseases. However this information only describes the linear chemical sequences; in order to apply it to drug discovery, scientists must be able to picture the entire three-dimensional shape of naturally-occurring proteins. Until now, this deciphering has remained an awesome challenge, as there are millions of possible conformations for each protein. But Bio-IT, applying its novel technology to the DNA sequence of a family of proteins known as G-coupled protein receptors (GPCRs), has generated 3-D models that successfully reproduce accurate structures. Bio-IT plans to use its proprietary technologies to design and discover small-molecule drugs for GPCR-related ailments such as neurological and cardiovascular diseases Cardiovascular disease Disease that affects the heart and blood vessels. Mentioned in: Lipoproteins Test cardiovascular disease , depression, obesity, pain and viral infections viral infection, n an infection by a pathogenic virus. A virus acts on the cell nucleus, taking over the genetic material within the nucleus and replicating itself. . About thirty percent of drugs in current use, interact with G-protein coupled receptors. Bio-IT's technology was developed by Dr. Oren Becker and collaborators at Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv University (TAU, אוניברסיטת תל־אביב, את"א) is Israel's largest on-site university. . Dr. Becker is an assistant professor of Computational Chemistry Computational chemistry is a branch of chemistry that uses computers to assist in solving chemical problems. It uses the results of theoretical chemistry, incorporated into efficient computer programs, to calculate the structures and properties of molecules and solids. and Chemical Physics at the School of Chemistry of Tel-Aviv University. The company was founded by a partnership between Ramot of Tel Aviv University, Prof. Haim Aviv, Ph.D., a leading biotech entrepreneur, and Silvia Noiman, Ph.D., MBA MBA abbr. Master of Business Administration Noun 1. MBA - a master's degree in business Master in Business, Master in Business Administration , an experienced molecular biologist. |
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