Human beings throughout history have been affected by various medical conditions, expediting the need for drug discovery. G-Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs), as the largest family of membrane receptors responsible for various physiological functions, are often valid targets for drug discovery and development. One particular example of such a GPCR is 5-hydroxytryptamine2A (5-HT2A), a serotonin receptor that is a suitable target to treat neurological disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia, PTSD, and anxiety. The first potent and selective Tetrahydropyridine (THP)-derived agonists towards 5-HT2A were identified through virtual screening and developed throughout the course of this project. These potent and selective molecules were inspired from nonselective agonists such as LSD, in order to address the question as to whether the therapeutic effects of such drugs could be divorced from their psychedelic effects.

Drug discovery is a significant process that enables scientists to discover medications for the human population. Over the course of the last century or two, drug development has led to cures for numerous ailments. However, there still are many unanswered and incurable conditions that exist today, emphasizing the continued importance of these research efforts. One major target class for drug development involves the G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Because GPCRs are the largest class of membrane receptors, they are in turn the largest class of druggable targets. One particular GPCR of interest is the 5-hydroxytryptamine2A receptor, which is known to be the canonical target for serotonin, but also psychedelic drugs such as LSD. Targeting 5-HT2A has the potential to treat neuropsychiatric disorders, such as PTSD and depression, but selectivity issues in drug development have hindered the production of reliable medications. Namely, lack of selectivity in drugs such as LSD leads to undesirable hallucinogenic effects, in addition to the therapeutic antidepressant effects. Our goal in this research review paper is to outline the steps for drug development by highlighting the specific example of designing potent and selective agonists towards the 5-HT2A receptor.

A stretchable, tough, small-scale magnetic actuator capable of multimodal locomotion under magnetic fields is proposed. The actuator consists of a silicone elastomer (Ecoflex 00-10) embedded with neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) particles and coated with a poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC) triple network hydrogel layer. The hydrogel layer is biocompatible and decreases the surface friction of the actuator. Mechanically, the actuator is highly stretchable, tough, and fatigue-resistant. The application of the actuator in drug delivery is demonstrated.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by severe impairment of various behavioural functions. Mutations in several genes known to be associated with autism. In this study, a meta-analysis was performed on 126 genes that are implicated in syndromic autism by the SFARI database. Results show that several genes are associated with known human pathological conditions such as delayed speech and language development. Further analysis reveals that many genes are associated with functions related to head development, Rett syndrome (psychoneurological syndrome) and neuron projection morphogenesis. Protein network analysis revealed closely associated phenotypic terms largely clusters with neuron morphogenesis category, suggesting that mutations in these genes significantly affect neuronal development and that in turn result in autistic characters. This study sheds light into the general role of autism-related genes and how their mutation may affect normal neuronal function.