Submitted by D.P. Juan on Fri, 20/06/2025 - 10:40
Our research groups continue to be at the forefront of pharmacological research development, particularly in the area of vaccine technology.
One of these areas of advancement is in a new biological concept - Click Biology. A Nobel Prize in 2022 was awarded for Click Chemistry: reactions that are simple and super-efficient. Click Chemistry uses parts never found in living systems. In a Perspective in Nature Chemical Biology, Mark Howarth provides the first definition of Click Biology, describing how a range of reactions (including SpyTag superglue from his group) share similar advantages with Click Chemistry, but utilise building blocks found in every living organism. Hence, Click Biology can easily be applied from bacteria to plants to mammals. Click Biology has entered vaccine clinical trials, and the perspective describes the new possibilities for research and therapy.
If you are interested in getting a complete overview of what Click Biology is, including the potential surrounding this new concept, the paper is available here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41589-025-01944-x.