What do we know about in silico methodology and its uses in finding a COVID-19 treatment?
What do we know about in silico methodology and its uses in finding a COVID-19 treatment?
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In silico methods are computational predictions that have been used for decades to help reduce the required time and expenses during drug development, including for drugs that fight cancer and tuberculosis. During the COVID-19 pandemic, in silico methods have been used in various ways to find effective interventions for preventing and treating COVID-19. For example, in silico methods have been used to quickly screen a large number of compounds, helping to identify which have more potential to inhibit the virus SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 for application in therapeutic drugs. Another example is the use of in silico methods to model how COVID-19 can spread in a population, and to simulate the impact of different preventative measures such as wearing masks. In silico methods can also be used to speed up the design and evaluation of medical devices and other supplies. Additionally, in silico methods have been used to model, and sometimes attempt to predict, COVID-19 symptoms or complications by comparing simulations to actual clinical data. Researchers are continuing to apply in silico methods in different ways to figure out how to best prevent and treat COVID-19.
In silico methods are computational predictions that have been used for decades to help reduce the required time and expenses during drug development, including for drugs that fight cancer and tuberculosis. During the COVID-19 pandemic, in silico methods have been used in various ways to find effective interventions for preventing and treating COVID-19. For example, in silico methods have been used to quickly screen a large number of compounds, helping to identify which have more potential to inhibit the virus SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 for application in therapeutic drugs. Another example is the use of in silico methods to model how COVID-19 can spread in a population, and to simulate the impact of different preventative measures such as wearing masks. In silico methods can also be used to speed up the design and evaluation of medical devices and other supplies. Additionally, in silico methods have been used to model, and sometimes attempt to predict, COVID-19 symptoms or complications by comparing simulations to actual clinical data. Researchers are continuing to apply in silico methods in different ways to figure out how to best prevent and treat COVID-19.
Publication
What our experts say
In silico methods are computational predictions that have been used for decades to help reduce the required time and expenses during drug development, including for drugs that fight cancer and tuberculosis.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, in silico methods have been used in various ways to find effective interventions for preventing and treating COVID-19. For example, in silico methods have been used to quickly screen a large number of compounds, helping to identify which have more potential to inhibit the virus SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 for application in therapeutic drugs.
Another example is the use of in silico methods to model how COVID-19 can spread in a population, and to simulate the impact of different preventative measures such as wearing masks. In silico methods can also be used to speed up the design and evaluation of medical devices and other supplies.
Additionally, in silico methods have been used to model, and sometimes attempt to predict, COVID-19 symptoms or complications by comparing simulations to actual clinical data. Researchers are continuing to apply in silico methods in different ways to figure out how to best prevent and treat COVID-19.
In silico methods are computational predictions that have been used for decades to help reduce the required time and expenses during drug development, including for drugs that fight cancer and tuberculosis.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, in silico methods have been used in various ways to find effective interventions for preventing and treating COVID-19. For example, in silico methods have been used to quickly screen a large number of compounds, helping to identify which have more potential to inhibit the virus SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 for application in therapeutic drugs.
Another example is the use of in silico methods to model how COVID-19 can spread in a population, and to simulate the impact of different preventative measures such as wearing masks. In silico methods can also be used to speed up the design and evaluation of medical devices and other supplies.
Additionally, in silico methods have been used to model, and sometimes attempt to predict, COVID-19 symptoms or complications by comparing simulations to actual clinical data. Researchers are continuing to apply in silico methods in different ways to figure out how to best prevent and treat COVID-19.
Context and background
In silico methods have been trending in the media, in part due to 14-year-old Anika Chebrolu winning the 3M Young Scientist Challenge for finding a molecule that selectively binds to the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. In silico methods have been similarly used by scientists around the world, including in the United States and India, to identify molecules (e.g. eriodictyol) that bind to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 for potential use in COVID-19 antiviral therapies.
The term "in silico" comes from the chemical element silicon, which is widely used for making computer chips. This term follows the style of previous Latin descriptions for research, such as "in vivo" (which means in living organisms), "in vitro" (which means in glass, such as test tubes with cells separated from their biological context), and "in situ" (which means in place or on site).
In silico methods have been trending in the media, in part due to 14-year-old Anika Chebrolu winning the 3M Young Scientist Challenge for finding a molecule that selectively binds to the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. In silico methods have been similarly used by scientists around the world, including in the United States and India, to identify molecules (e.g. eriodictyol) that bind to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 for potential use in COVID-19 antiviral therapies.
The term "in silico" comes from the chemical element silicon, which is widely used for making computer chips. This term follows the style of previous Latin descriptions for research, such as "in vivo" (which means in living organisms), "in vitro" (which means in glass, such as test tubes with cells separated from their biological context), and "in situ" (which means in place or on site).
Resources
- In Silico Methods (Springer)
- Editorial: In silico Methods for Drug Design and Discovery (Frontiers in Chemistry)
- How In Silico fights Coronavirus (In Silico World)
- In-silico modeling of COVID-19 ARDS: pathophysiological insights and potential management implications (medRxiv)
- This 14-year-old girl won a $25K prize for a discovery that could lead to a cure for Covid-19 (CNN)
- Identification of SARS-CoV-2 Cell Entry Inhibitors by Drug Repurposing Using in silico Structure-Based Virtual Screening Approach (Frontiers in Immunology)
- In silico design of antiviral peptides targeting the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 (Elsevier Peptides)
- In silico molecular docking analysis for repurposing therapeutics against multiple proteins from SARS-CoV-2 (European Journal of Pharmacology)
- In silico studies evidenced the role of structurally diverse plant secondary metabolites in reducing SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis (Nature)
- In Silico Methods (Springer)
- Editorial: In silico Methods for Drug Design and Discovery (Frontiers in Chemistry)
- How In Silico fights Coronavirus (In Silico World)
- In-silico modeling of COVID-19 ARDS: pathophysiological insights and potential management implications (medRxiv)
- This 14-year-old girl won a $25K prize for a discovery that could lead to a cure for Covid-19 (CNN)
- Identification of SARS-CoV-2 Cell Entry Inhibitors by Drug Repurposing Using in silico Structure-Based Virtual Screening Approach (Frontiers in Immunology)
- In silico design of antiviral peptides targeting the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 (Elsevier Peptides)
- In silico molecular docking analysis for repurposing therapeutics against multiple proteins from SARS-CoV-2 (European Journal of Pharmacology)
- In silico studies evidenced the role of structurally diverse plant secondary metabolites in reducing SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis (Nature)
