ConnectIONS blog

Latest Posts

• 
  Ion Channels as Targets in Drug Discovery2 May 2024
  By Eddy Stevens, CSO It was a pleasure working alongside Gary Stephens, University of Reading, as we edited the Ion Channels as Targets in Drug Discovery book. The publication examines current success stories in ion channel… Read more: Ion Channels as Targets in Drug Discovery
• 
  DisPATCHes newsletter Q1 202427 March 2024
  By Sue Peffer Q1 2024 news includes two NEW service offerings: access to Enamine compounds enhances our HTS services, and advanced CNS drug discovery adds to our neuroscience services. Also, our latest poster on GLP hERG screening, endo-lysosomal patch clamp technique, webinar, and Cambridge, Ion Channel… Read more: DisPATCHes newsletter Q1 2024
• 
  ‘Let’s Cure CLCN4’ rare disease channelopathy drug discovery symposium report7 November 2023
  By Dr Marc Rogers and Dr Sophie Rose Guest blog within the series ‘Ion channel drug discovery insights from the Channelogist’ (@Albion Drug Discovery Services) for Metrion Biosciences Introduction Cure CLCN4 is a charity founded by… Read more: ‘Let’s Cure CLCN4’ rare disease channelopathy drug discovery symposium report
• 
  Molly – My Placement At Metrion So Far12 September 2023
  Written by Molly Rowlett I’m Molly, and I am an undergraduate student in Neuroscience at the University of Bristol, currently on my placement year at Metrion Biosciences. I have completed the first 2 years of my… Read more: Molly – My Placement At Metrion So Far
• 
  The CICF 2023 – My Perspectives13 June 2023
  Written by Faith Zarume On 10th May , Metrion Biosciences and AstraZeneca co-hosted the annual Cambridge Ion Channel Forum, this year held at the Cambridge Building, Babraham Research Campus. Here, ion channel focused research was shared… Read more: The CICF 2023 – My Perspectives
• 
  Jack – My Academic and Professional Career So Far!5 May 2023
  Written by Jack O’Donnell My time studying at Bristol Before joining Metrion in November 2022, I studied at the University of Bristol for four years. I started my undergraduate degree in 2018, studying Biomedical Sciences which… Read more: Jack – My Academic and Professional Career So Far!
• 
  Zeki – From Ants to Ion Channels10 February 2023
  Written by Dr. Zeki Ilkan From ants to ion channels My first encounter with science was using a toy microscope that my parents gave me as a present. I remember the immense excitement I got visually… Read more: Zeki – From Ants to Ion Channels
• 
  Thomas’s Career So Far9 January 2023
  Written by Dr. Thomas Hill My introduction to the world of drug discovery My scientific career started at around the time I learnt the words “why” and “how”, with my first school report stating that “Tom… Read more: Thomas’s Career So Far
• 
  Katie – Expanding my skills to the world of ion channels9 January 2023
  Written by Dr. Katie Puddefoot Volunteering sparked my interest in neuroscience My interest in Neuroscience started when I was sixteen and I became a volunteer for my local Parkinson’s UK branch. My volunteering with the charity… Read more: Katie – Expanding my skills to the world of ion channels
• 
  Catherine’s Career So Far10 October 2022
  Written by Dr. Catherine Hodgson Ion Channels and Patch-Clamp In 2014, I graduated from the University of Manchester with a degree in Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology with Industrial/Professional Experience. In the first weeks of my degree,… Read more: Catherine’s Career So Far
• 
  Yasmin – About Me10 October 2022
  Written by Yasmin Henry My Criminology Studies Prior to joining Metrion in August 2022, I studied at the University of Lincoln for four years. My undergraduate degree was in Criminology, in which I learned many different… Read more: Yasmin – About Me
• 
  Professor David Sheppard presents on “Cystic Fibrosis: Rescuing Faulty Channels with Targeted Therapies”25 March 2022
  Written by Dr Sophie Rose and Professor David Sheppard Introduction Transformative therapies targeting the root cause of disease are now available for around 90% of individuals living with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) following the recent FDA and… Read more: Professor David Sheppard presents on “Cystic Fibrosis: Rescuing Faulty Channels with Targeted Therapies”
• 
  Adam’s Journey into Electrophysiology7 March 2022
  Written by Adam Young My undergraduate qualifications I completed my undergraduate degree with a BSc in Natural Sciences at the University of Bath in Summer 2021. I chose to major in pharmacology and minor in biology… Read more: Adam’s Journey into Electrophysiology
• 
  Dr Stephen Tucker presents at Metrion’s webinar series15 December 2021
  Written by Dr Sophie Rose and Dr John Ridley The second instalment in the ‘Ion Channels in Drug Discovery’ webinar series was presented by Professor Stephen Tucker from the Department of Physics, University of Oxford. Stephen… Read more: Dr Stephen Tucker presents at Metrion’s webinar series
• 
  Alex’s Story So Far…10 September 2021
  Written by Dr Alex Howarth Metrion Scientist Dr Alexander Howarth summarises below his undergraduate and postgraduate studies and how he came to join Metrion Biosciences. “In 2015, I graduated from the University of Sheffield with a… Read more: Alex’s Story So Far…
• 
  Pete’s Path into Electrophysiology3 September 2021
  Written by Dr Peter Matthews Metrion Scientist Dr Peter Matthews summarises below his path into electrophysiology and recounts his experiences during his undergraduate and postgraduate studies and beyond. “I first became interested in the physiology and… Read more: Pete’s Path into Electrophysiology
• 
  Discovery of KNa1.1 channel inhibitors – an account of Metrion’s first webinar21 July 2021
  Written by Marc Rogers PhD and Sophie Rose PhD Metrion’s first “Ion channel drug discovery” webinar  Metrion Biosciences’ inaugural ion channel webinar took place at the end of June and featured a presentation by Dr Jon Lippiat,… Read more: Discovery of KNa1.1 channel inhibitors – an account of Metrion’s first webinar
• 
  The Ionic Inspiration of Venomtech – by Steve Trim21 July 2021
  Our guest blog, written by longstanding Friend and Collaborator Steve Trim, CSO and Founder of Venomtech is presented below. An early career at Pfizer, Sandwich “Why spider man is joining forces with ion man” is a… Read more: The Ionic Inspiration of Venomtech – by Steve Trim
• 
  The Drug Discovery for Ion Channels XXII Satellite Meeting4 March 2021
  Written by Marc Rogers PhD and Sophie Rose PhD A global pandemic wasn’t going to stand in our way Nothing was going to prevent this annual gathering of ion channel enthusiasts and drug discovery professionals from… Read more: The Drug Discovery for Ion Channels XXII Satellite Meeting
• 
  SARS-CoV-2 Drug Discovery: Targeting Viral Ion Channels5 January 2021
  Written by Dr Marc Rogers Introduction Ion channels are well validated drug discovery targets based on their widespread distribution in the human body and involvement in many critical activities within the brain, heart, smooth muscle and… Read more: SARS-CoV-2 Drug Discovery: Targeting Viral Ion Channels
• 
  Charlotte’s Patch Clamp Journey So Far…9 November 2020
  Written by Dr Charlotte Hill Metrion Scientist Dr Charlotte Hill explains how she first discovered the wonderful world of patch clamp electrophysiology and how she came to write the chapter “An Introduction to Patch Clamp Recording”… Read more: Charlotte’s Patch Clamp Journey So Far…
• 
  Metrion and Grünenthal extend Ion Channel Research Agreement6 November 2020
  Written by the Editor Metrion Biosciences have had a longstanding relationship providing drug discovery research services to Grünenthal GmbH, a privately owned pharmaceutical company and global leader in pain management and related diseases. Grünenthal develop medication… Read more: Metrion and Grünenthal extend Ion Channel Research Agreement
• 
  An Interview with Damian Bell10 July 2020
  Written by Artem Kondratskyi Introducing Damian Bell: as a new member of the team at Metrion we are using an abridged version of an interview by Artem Kondratskyi for ionchannellibrary.com. A big thank you to Artem for… Read more: An Interview with Damian Bell
• 
  Metrion welcomes new sales and marketing intern, Anna7 July 2020
  Written by Anna Mikhailova My name is Anna Mikhailova. I recently started my internship in Sales and Marketing at Metrion Biosciences. I was born in Moscow, Russia, and moved to study in the UK when I… Read more: Metrion welcomes new sales and marketing intern, Anna
• 
  Improving Cardiac Safety Testing Protocols5 July 2020
  Written by John Ridley PhD The regulatory guidelines The International Council on Harmonization (ICH) S7B and E14 regulatory guidelines were introduced in 2005 to evaluate the proarrhythmic liability of new drugs. They were implemented in response… Read more: Improving Cardiac Safety Testing Protocols
• 
  Metrion is open for business31 March 2020
  Written by the Editor Metrion Biosciences is open to discuss your ion channel drug discovery and safety profiling requirements via info@metrionbiosciences.com.    In response to the global COVID-19 outbreak, and to help us to safeguard the health and… Read more: Metrion is open for business
• 
  Metrion’s CEO reflects on participation in Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses UK3 March 2020
  Written by Andrew Southan PhD During the second half of 2019 Metrion’s CEO Andy Southan spent three months on the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses programme. In this blog he reflects on the aims and content… Read more: Metrion’s CEO reflects on participation in Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses UK
• 
  Why Metrion’s CSO spent 35 years unlocking the potential of ion channels for drug discovery6 November 2019
  Interview with Dr Marc Rogers Thank you to the ELRIG Committee and to BioStrata for allowing us to share the below content on our website. The British Pharmacological Society (BPS) ran a special symposium at the ELRIG Drug Discovery 2019 conference yesterday,… Read more: Why Metrion’s CSO spent 35 years unlocking the potential of ion channels for drug discovery
• 
  Nav1.5(Late) Cardiac Safety Assay on QPatch31 August 2019
  Written by the Editor The Metrion Biosciences team have recently produced a second application note in collaboration with Sophion Bioscience, describing the use of a ∆KPQ LQT3 mutant to create and validate a Nav1.5 (Late) cardiac… Read more: Nav1.5(Late) Cardiac Safety Assay on QPatch
• 
  Opportunities for Ion Channel Targeting Antibodies: Current Landscape and Pipeline31 July 2019
  External Speaker Series presentation featuring Dr Catherine Hutchings Metrion Biosciences’ tenth External Speaker Series presentation featured Dr Catherine Hutchings, a highly experienced biologics drug discovery researcher and independent consultant. Dr Hutchings’ presentation included an overview of… Read more: Opportunities for Ion Channel Targeting Antibodies: Current Landscape and Pipeline
• 
  An Interview with Professor Nikita Gamper2 July 2019
  Interview by the Editor Professor Nikita Gamper, the ninth contributor to Metrion Biosciences External Speaker Series, gives a perspective below regarding his ion channel research focus and collaboration activities with scientists from the Hebei Medical University, China.  … Read more: An Interview with Professor Nikita Gamper
• 
  ELRIG: Advances in Cell Based Screening – Gothenburg, Sweden2 July 2019
  Review written by the Editor ELRIG is a not-for-profit organisation aiming to provide access to high level scientific content, promote innovation in drug discovery and provide networking platforms for the life science community. To implement this, ELRIG… Read more: ELRIG: Advances in Cell Based Screening – Gothenburg, Sweden
• 
  Ion Channels in Drug Discovery XIX – Satellite event at BPS 201928 May 2019
  Review written by the Editor Ion channels continue to rise in prominence in both academic and commercial areas. Metrion Biosciences, alongside Sophion Bioscience, Nanion Technologies, Evotec and SB Drug Discovery sponsored the “Ion Channels in Drug… Read more: Ion Channels in Drug Discovery XIX – Satellite event at BPS 2019
• 
  A summary of the Sixth Cambridge Ion Channel Forum3 May 2019
  Review written by the Editor AstraZeneca and Metrion Biosciences again joined forces on April 9 to co-host the 6th Cambridge Ion Channel Forum, held at the Milstein building at Granta Park. The event has been a… Read more: A summary of the Sixth Cambridge Ion Channel Forum
• 
  An Interview with Professor Alistair Mathie26 November 2018
  Written by the Editor Professor Alistair Mathie, one of Metrion’s previous external speakers, gives a perspective below regarding his research into two pore domain potassium channels and his involvement in a collaborative project focused on the… Read more: An Interview with Professor Alistair Mathie
• 
  Implementation of a kinetic hERG Assay Protocol Using QPatch 4826 November 2018
  Written by the Editor The Metrion Biosciences team recently produced an application note reporting the successful validation of the ‘Milnes’ voltage protocol for hERG screening using a QPatch 48 automated patch clamp (APC) assay platform. First… Read more: Implementation of a kinetic hERG Assay Protocol Using QPatch 48
• 
  An Interview with Professor Gary Stephens15 August 2018
  Written by the Editor Professor Gary Stephens gives his perspective on his research into calcium channel modulation, cannabinoid-derived anti-epileptic agents; plus biologics and SUMOylation in the field of ion channel modulation. Calcium channels and synaptic transmission… Read more: An Interview with Professor Gary Stephens
• 
  Professor Trevor Jones: Disruptive Influences on Drug Discovery and Healthcare Delivery15 August 2018
  External Speaker Series presentation featuring Professor Trevor Jones Metrion Biosciences’ July 2018 External Speaker Event provided insight into the pitfalls of modern medicines discovery and the “disruptive influences” associated with drug discovery and development. The presentation… Read more: Professor Trevor Jones: Disruptive Influences on Drug Discovery and Healthcare Delivery
• 
  An Interview with Professor Annette Dolphin23 July 2018
  External Speaker Series presentation featuring Professor Annette Dolphin Professor Annette Dolphin, Metrion Biosciences Scientific Advisory Board member and seventh presenter in our external speaker series, gives her perspective on her research into neuronal voltage-dependent calcium channels.… Read more: An Interview with Professor Annette Dolphin
• 
  An interview with Professor Mustafa Djamgoz23 July 2018
  External Speaker Series presentation featuring Professor Mustafa Djamgoz Professor Mustafa Djamgoz (Imperial College London), the sixth presenter in Metrion Biosciences External Speaker Series, provides some insight into his research into the role of ion channels in… Read more: An interview with Professor Mustafa Djamgoz
• 
  Cambridge Ion Channel Forum (2018)8 May 2018
  Review written by the Editor Metrion Biosciences and AstraZeneca joined forces on Tuesday 8th May 2018 to co-host the fifth Cambridge Ion Channel Forum at Medimmune’s Milstein Building on Granta Park, Cambridge (UK). Established in 2011, with previous co-organisers including… Read more: Cambridge Ion Channel Forum (2018)
• 
  Interactive Stem Cell Forum5 May 2018
  Review by the Editor Researchers gather for interactive forum Metrion Biosciences and Axol Bioscience joined forces on Wednesday 23rd May to co-host the 2018 “Interactive Stem Cell Forum” in Cambridge (UK). A meeting featuring a morning… Read more: Interactive Stem Cell Forum