From Basic Discovery to Bedside tells the tale of a rare milestone being accomplished many times over within the past year. Three research labs at U of U Health have translated their basic science discoveries into therapeutics that are being tested in clinical trials for their benefit to human health. These stories are part of Pioneering the Future, a campaign celebrating high-impact discoveries made by today’s scientists.
Next-generation treatment for ALS
Meeting a family with a nervous system disorder—ataxia—set Stefan Pulst, chair of neurology, on a path to build a new treatment for a different neurological disorder, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. The result is a molecular therapy that shows promise for treating a deadly disease.
HIV advance built from the basics
Fueled by pure curiosity, biochemists Wes Sundquist and Chris Hill have been learning how the virus that causes AIDS is built. In the process their research stumbled onto a discovery and spurred a new drug that could make lives better for people with HIV/AIDS.
Blinding the body to HIV infection
Biochemists Michael Kay and Debbie Eckert have taken a clever approach to combat HIV/AIDS. The team has built a drug from the mirror image of pieces of proteins, called D-peptides, that promises to be effective and long-lasting.