Articles by Sean
How Methamphetamine Fueled Blitzkrieg and Beyond
The initial success of Nazi Germany in World War II is largely attributed to the strategy of Blitzkrieg: quick, surprise maneuvers through enemy territory that gives opponents little time to react. This, however, placed a tremendous physical and mental strain on the invading soldiers. To counter this, German chemists prescribed them methamphetamine, under the brand name Pervitin. After the war, the huge stockpiles of leftover methamphetamine found their way to civilians worldwide, where recreational use of ‘meth’ persists to this day. […]
Strategies to Combat Antibiotic Resistance
Drug resistance is a common issue in drug discovery programs. After the long and expensive process of developing a drug, the last thing you want is to find that it doesn’t provide a therapeutic effect. Drug resistance is prevalent in bacteria, which have developed ingenious methods to circumvent antibiotics, even giving rise to ‘superbugs’. We take a look at some mechanisms of microbial drug resistance, as well as strategies in medicinal chemistry to overcome them. […]
Biologic Drugs—The Future of Medicine
Biologics is the buzzword within drug discovery these days. The days of small molecule therapeutics are numbered, with pharmaceutical companies and research institutes shifting their focus to large molecule ‘biologics’. Despite being extremely complex to design and study, the advantages of biologic drugs lie in their superior potency and selectivity. There is no denying that therapies within this field are consistently making breakthroughs, shaping up to be the future of medicine. […]
Which Artificial Sweetener is the Safest?
With artificial sweeteners like aspartame and Ace K commonly used as sugar substitutes, we can indulge in our favorite snacks while keeping our calorie intake in check. However, questions persist about their effects on our health. We look at what science has to say about the safety of artificial sweeteners. […]
Medicinal Chemistry: Lead Modification and Optimization
Medicinal chemistry lays the foundation for the drug discovery process. A strong lead compound increases the chances of a pharmaceutical company developing a strong drug candidate, with better chances of success later on. Once a lead compound or ‘hit’ has been identified, modification and optimization are the next steps. Improving its safety and efficacy profiles through rational drug design can strengthen its position as a drug candidate, improving its chances of it making it to market as a drug. […]
Sean is a consultant for clients in the pharmaceutical industry and is a lecturer at a local university, where unfortunate undergrads are subject to his ramblings on chemistry and pharmacology.
