Bayer: Science For A Better Life - research - The search for the active ingredients

An effective method could revolutionize the search for active ingredients

When genes are silent

Targeted search: Dr. Amy Burd (top) and Alexander Szewczak examine photos of human cells to detect the effect of switching off a gene, so that new targets for active ingredients can be identified.

Scientists are still baffled by the function of many genes in the human body. If they could decipher the tasks of individual genes, they would be able to make important progress in the search for new medicines and treatment methods. With the help of the latest findings in gene and protein research, scientists at Bayer HealthCare are trying to piece together the puzzle of the decoded genome.

Switching off genes and their functions

Researchers block the function of specific genes in the body and then observe what happens in the cell or system under examination. This information can then be used to identify optimal targets for new drug products. In a joint project with two biotech companies, Cenix Bioscience and Galapagos Genomics, experts at Bayer HealthCare are using a natural process called RNA interference for their research. You can read more about RNA interference and the role it play in the discovery of new medicines and treatment methods in the following article (PDF file).