Articles by Sean
Blister Pack or Bottle? How to Choose Drug Packaging
Part of developing a drug involves choosing the proper packaging for it. Blister packs are convenient and keep pills free from contaminants. Plastic bottles are cheap but can react with the medication inside. Glass is expensive to produce and transport. With so many factors to consider, how do we decide what packaging to use? […]
Living Longer with FOXO3, The Gene of Youth
Improving human longevity and quality-of-life has always been an important field of scientific research. Access to medicine, healthier lifestyles and proper nutrition have drastically improved life expectancies in the last century, but what if the secret to keeping age-related diseases at bay was hidden in our DNA all along? Scientists have identified the FOXO3 (Forkhead Box O3) gene that directly impacts aging, bringing us closer to understanding the genetics of living longer. […]
Tablet Manufacturing—How Pills are Made
Tablets are the most common form of drug delivery; many of us take pills regularly, whether as drugs or supplements. Pharmaceutical companies also favor tablet manufacturing because the process is usually cheaper and faster compared to producing other drug forms. This article will explore how pills are made and the ingredients that go into making them. […]
How to Interpret Protein Ribbon Diagrams
Humans have at least 20,000 different proteins scattered throughout our bodies, each with a specific role that keeps us alive and (mostly) functioning. Because of their structural diversity, proteins are often depicted as a collection of motifs like alpha helices and beta sheets, making the ability to interpret such ribbon diagrams an invaluable skill. […]
Where Have All the Alaskan Snow Crabs Gone?
For the first time in history, Alaska canceled its snow crab season in 2022, citing a 90% decline in the Alaskan snow crab population in the Arctic. Did they die off? Did they migrate? What could have caused it? We break down everything you need to know about the sudden disappearance of this popular deep-sea delicacy. […]
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.
