Quorum Sensing (QS) is the mechanism of chemical communication between bacteria. Researchers are deciphering this language in order to create tools such as this diagnostic kit that is developing a group from IQAC-CSIC, supported by a grant from the EBTon CSIC entrepreneurship award.

Research led by IQAC-CSIC and the University of Barcelona (UB) has developed a new therapeutic tool that inhibits the proliferation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19. This genomic tool can be used to attack other viral diseases that still have no treatment and is an example of the therapeutic potential of oligonucleotides.

Fibrosis (overgrowth of scarred fibrous connective tissue) contributes to 45% of deaths in Western countries and currently has no specific treatment. A new work, led by a team from the CSIC's Barcelona Biomedical Research Institute, identifies the role of the protein cathepsin D in the degradation and remission of fibrotic tissue, which opens up new possibilities for medical treatment

They are one of the most promising pharmacological tools, custom-designed for diseases such as Alzheimer's, various types of cancer, or multiple sclerosis. A multicenter project, with the participation of the CSIC, aims to create the XNA-HUB platform for designing new therapeutic molecules based on modified nucleic acids. For doing this, the platform will utilize supercomputing techniques and predictive models of Artificial Intelligence.

Created by a team led by the CSIC and the UPV, it is capable of inhibiting the cytokine storm associated with severe inflammation while preserving innate immunity. It is a synthetic derivative of andrographolide, the active ingredient of the plant Andrographis paniculate, commonly known as kalmegh or King of Bitters. It may also be useful in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, lung inflammation and fatty liver disease.

The device, tested in Antarctica, optimises the efficient collection of samples and allows them to be analysed in situ. The breakthrough has been made possible by combining technologies that include the use of portable equipment to obtain and analyse DNA sequences, and proprietary analysis software, which has been patented. This development may also have applications in the clinical setting and in industry.

The CSIC, the Banc de Sang i Teixits de Catalunya and the Idibell have signed an agreement to research the production of CAR-NK cells, which are easier to produce than the CAR-T cells used successfully in immunotherapy. The research will test stem cell editing using two technologies patented by the CSIC. One of the goals is to create a bank of CAR-NK anti-tumour cells for immediate use.

This new methodology is effective and faster than the PCR test, and opens up new options for detecting viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, the influenza A virus (H1N1) or the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a pathogen that affects newborn babies and requires careful differential diagnosis.