One aspect of modern drug development involves understanding how enzymes function in terms of the progress of certain diseases in humans. This MITACS project involves the synthesis of small-molecule labels that can bind to a specific enzyme of interest, so as to better understand the mode of action of this enzyme as related to the progress of cancer. This work will involve the preparation of organic molecules possessing appropriate structural features that will enable selective and irreversible binding to the desired enzyme.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disease affecting more than >45 million individuals worldwide with numbers expected to reach >135 million by 2050. The multifactorial nature of AD hinders the development of therapeutic treatments and, as such, several drug candidates have failed in clinical trials. Polyphenolic compounds have the ability to reach the brain and target the multifactorial aspects of AD.

A novel technology for delivery of biologically active compounds found in hemp oil is being developed. This novel technology significantly reduces the health risks associated with traditional administration of Cannabis products (e.g., smoking and THC-related intoxication) The proposed project, in collaboration with a federally-licensed facility for cannabinoid analysis, Abattis Bioceuticals, engages into the development of two different platforms for encapsulation of hemp oil using nanoemulsion and nanolipid carrier technologies.

Castration-resistant prostate cancer is a late stage disease and many people die of it due to lack of effective therapeutic drugs. In the current project, we propose to develop new therapeutic drug a to specifically target CRPC’s common weak points, which are MCT4 and eIF4E gene’s proteint products that play very important roles in regulation of cancer cell’s energetic and protein translation pathways. The project aims to develop an antibody drug, an small molecule chemical drug and a nanoparticle drug to target MCT4 membrane protein and eIF4E transcription factor protein.

Genacol Canada Corporation Inc. manufactures a bovine-sourced hydrolyzed collagen supplement (Genacol® Original Formula), which has shown efficacy in two separate clinical trials for reducing joint pain. Following digestion, hydrolyzed collagen yields amino acids and peptides that can lead to the health promoting properties of the supplement. However, the specific identity and mechanisms of action of the peptide and amino acids produced from the digestion of the Genacol collagen hydrolysate that support joint health is unclear.

The purpose of this project will be to develop a flexible and statistically sound methodology for leveraging BPI’s database of current and historical publicly available coverage information to model coverage trends in the U.S. health insurance industry. The project will also include the development of an R Markdown template for future predictive analytics reports. The templates and methodologies developed for this project will be integrated into BPI, Inc.'s custom consulting division.

Interactions between bacteria and fungi are ubiquitous. One environment where these interkingdom interactions are crucial for maintaining human health is the vaginal microbiome. A decline in abundance of bacteria can lead to overgrowth of fungi such as Candida albicans, which occurs in ~75% of healthy women at least once in their lifetime. This imbalance is associated with significant economic costs and has a negative impact on quality of life.

Many new pharmaceuticals are based on large biomolecules like proteins. Even small differences in the protein structure can cause significant changes in the efficacy and safety of these drugs. Furthermore, these large molecules are difficult to characterize without advanced instrumentation and methods. Current technologies still struggle with robustness and reproducibility. This study aims to introduce new technology to improve the reliability of protein pharmaceutical characterization.

Many types of cancer are currently untreatable. In Canada alone, 78,000 cancer-related deaths are seen annually, and obviously, new therapies are needed. We have identified the protein PARG as a potent stimulator of cancer growth and a valid target for anti-cancer therapy. However, specific, cell permeable inhibitors of PARG have historically been difficult to generate. Thus, PARG inhibitors have not yet reached the market nor even clinical trials. Towards this goal we have initiated a project to identify drugs to inhibit PARG.

Chemotherapy is currently the most effective approach for treatment of advanced cancer. However, chemotherapeutics do not differentiate between malignant and normal cells, and lead to serious side effects. Recent findings indicate that a substantial proportion of cancers, as distinct from normal tissue, are deficient in an enzyme called methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP).