New step in drug research: improved insight into liver function thanks to advanced analytical technique
Biochemist Victoria Pozo Garcia has made a significant advance in improving in vitro laboratory models of the liver. Using an advanced technique- liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS)- she was able to map more precisely how these models process drugs and how their metabolism functions.
Her research shows that these so-called in vitro liver systems can be evaluated more effectively by looking not only at individual enzymatic reactions, but at entire metabolic pathways. By applying LC-MS metabolomics, Pozo Garcia also identified which nutrients in the culture medium influence the maturation of liver cells in the lab. This is crucial, as better-developed liver models can make more reliable predictions about the efficacy and safety of new drugs.
Personalized medicine
A notable outcome is the combination of stem cell technology with this analytical method. This makes it possible to model hepatic responses based on individual donors. In turn, this opens the door to personalized medicine: researchers can predict, for each individual, how drugs are metabolized and whether potentially harmful byproducts are formed. It also becomes easier to detect disruptions in metabolism, for example due to disease or exposure to xenobiotic substances.
More reliable laboratory models can make the drug development process safer and more efficient. In addition, the use of animal testing could be reduced over time as better alternatives become available. Although animal models are still needed for now, these findings mark a clear step toward more ethical and patient-centered drug development.
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