Research summary
Tiny nematode worms called Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) can provide researchers with information about human health because much of their biology is surprisingly similar to that of humans. Dr. Peter Roy, Canada Research Chair in Chemical Genetics, has pioneered the use of C. elegans to find leads on potential new drug treatments. For instance, it is possible to create a particular disease in the worms, then screen libraries of drug-like molecules to identify those that could “cure” the disease.
Now, Roy and his research team are using that knowledge to identify otherwise innocuous small molecules that can be metabolically converted into lethal products within any targeted organism. This work could lead to the development of new prodrugs to treat plant parasites. (A prodrug is a compound that the body converts into a pharmacologically active drug.) They are also using these discoveries to develop drug treatments for human diseases, such as myasthenic syndrome, liver disease and Alzheimer’s disease.