USC and NYU scientists develop a molecule to block cancer growth in mice

A team of researchers from USC and NYU has developed and patented a small molecule that interferes with cancer progression with minimal side effects. The molecule prevents two critical proteins from interacting by mimicking the surface topography of one protein—like wearing a mask— which tricks the other protein into binding with it. This stops a “transcription factor,” which would have created an aberrant gene expression that contributes to cancer growth. Read more here.