Scientists at the University of Cambridge have developed a new way to alter complex drug molecules using light rather than toxic chemicals – a discovery that could accelerate and improve how medicines are designed and made. 

Published today (Thursday 12 March) in Nature Synthesis, the study introduces what the team calls an “anti-Friedel–Crafts” reaction. A classic Friedel–Crafts reaction uses strong chemicals or metal catalysts under harsh experimental conditions. This means the reaction can only happen in the early stages of drug manufacturing, and is followed by many additional chemical steps to produce the final drug. 

The new Cambridge approach reverses that pattern, allowing scientists to modify drug molecules at the final stages of production. 

Rather than relying on heavy metal catalysts, the chemistry is powered by an LED lamp at ambient temperature. When activated, it triggers a self-sustaining chain process that forges new carbon–carbon bonds under mild conditions and without toxic or expensive chemicals.

In practical terms, this means chemists can make targeted changes late in the development of a new or existing drug rather than dismantling and rebuilding complex molecules from scratch – a process that can otherwise take months. 

“We’ve found a new way to make precise changes to complex drug molecules, particularly ones that have been exceptionally difficult to modify in the past,” said David Vahey, first author and a PhD researcher at St John’s College, Cambridge.

“Scientists can spend months rebuilding large parts of a molecule just to test one small change. Now, instead of doing a multistep process for hundreds of molecules, scientists can start with their hit and make small modifications later on.”

A pioneering research-industry partnership has used advances in indoor farming technology to grow pea shoots fortified with Vitamin B12, opening an exciting route to market for farmers and addressing a major public health need.

Researchers from the School of Biomedical Sciences at the LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), in collaboration with the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Sinai Health in Toronto, Canada, have achieved a major breakthrough in regenerative medicine. The team has genetically engineered human stem cells that can ‘cloak’ themselves to evade immune rejection, while carrying a built-in kill switch to prevent tumour formation. This innovation opens the door to a safe, off-the-shelf source of cells and tissues, potentially transforming treatment for conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, heart failure, and spinal cord injuries, without the need for lifelong immune suppression. 

Cannabis products containing delta-8 THC have spiked in popularity in recent years, from gummies and brownies to vapes, pre-rolls, and tinctures. These products are frequently marketed as “legal” cannabis and often come in youth-oriented packaging, while lacking clear and consistent cannabinoid-content labels and health warnings to keep consumers safe, according to a new study in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

POSTECH · University of Oxford · Northwestern University, highlighting research trends in photonic nanomaterials and smart healthcare.

About one in three U.S. adults, the equivalent of over 82 million Americans, report having made at least one daily life trade-off in the past year to pay for healthcare expenses, according to new research released today from the West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare in America. The most common actions taken are prescription rationing and non-adherence (15%) and borrowing money (15%).