Researchers at Integrated Biosciences have developed a novel platform that enables precise control over biological systems, unlocking new therapeutic opportunities for age-related diseases. The platform combines optogenetics, chemistry, and AI to discover small-molecule therapeutics.
A new study demonstrated the platform’s capabilities by applying it to the integrated stress response (ISR), a key pathway implicated in neurodegeneration, cancer, and viral infections. By selectively activating ISR using optogenetic control, the researchers discovered compounds that sensitised stressed cells to apoptosis without inducing cytotoxicity across diverse cell types and stressors.
The lead compounds identified showed broad-spectrum antiviral activity in vitro, and one compound reduced disease pathology and viral titres in a mouse model of ocular herpesvirus age-related infection. This platform allows for precise control of biological targets and processes, providing a powerful new approach to drug discovery.
Unlike traditional screening tools, the platform enables selective activation without off-target effects, generating clean, high-fidelity datasets. This is especially critical in AI-driven discovery, where data quality remains a bottleneck. The system’s modularity and tunability make it adaptable to explore a wide range of biological processes with on-pathway precision.
Source: https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/optogenetic-screening-creates-new-opportunities-for-age-related-diseases/59780