Latest news with #Conscience
National Post
16-06-2025
- Science
- National Post
Conscience Announces Results of CACHE Challenge #4, Targeting Cancer Immunotherapy
Article content CACHE Challenge #4 focused on using computational methods to predict novel chemical matter for CBLB, an E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase Article content Keunwan Park of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology successfully identified a molecule that was both bioactive and chemically novel Article content Article content Results show that innovative AI-driven workflows can overcome barriers in drug discovery Article content TORONTO — Conscience, a non-profit that uses open science and true collaboration to enable drug discovery and development where market solutions are limited, is pleased to announce the results of its fourth CACHE (Critical Assessment of Computational Hit-Finding Experiments) Challenge, and the identification of a chemically novel and bioactive molecule. CACHE Challenge #4 focused on the difficult task of identifying novel molecules that bind to CBLB, a cancer immunotherapy target with an existing patent landscape. Article content The standout result of CACHE Challenge #4 came from Keunwan Park of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology, who was the only participant to identify a molecule that was both bioactive and chemically novel. Park did so by combining machine learning and structure-based methods. His approach encompassed learning patterns from existing patented molecules to generate new, distinct scaffolds. From this, he used the Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC)'s protein structure to refine the selection. This two-step pipeline led to the discovery of a novel, active compound, which is especially noteworthy given that pharmaceutical companies have struggled to find new chemical scaffolds – or frameworks of a molecule – for this target. Article content 'At the outset of CACHE #4, all known CBLB patent molecules shared a common chemical scaffold, underscoring the difficulty of identifying novel templates,' said Matthieu Schapira, CACHE's Scientific Coordinator, Principal Investigator at the Structural Genomics Consortium and Professor at University of Toronto. 'The recent crystal structure from Levon Halabelian's lab at the SGC offered new hope for structure-based discovery, and resulted in one of the 23 participating computational groups succeeding in identifying a truly novel molecule. This highlights the potential of open science challenges to drive innovation, but also the hurdles in reliably predicting biologically relevant compounds. Congratulations to Cheryl Arrowsmith's biophysics team, who screened over a thousand predicted compounds and validated Keunwan Park's winning molecule.' Article content Another notable result came from Wei Lu, Research Lead at Galixir. Lei identified the most potent compound in the challenge; however, it offered limited novelty as it closely resembled known patented molecules. Article content The CACHE Challenges are governed by Conscience, along with pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, and UCB, and tap into small molecule design expertise across continents. Article content Park's finding builds on his track record in previous CACHE challenges. In CACHE Challenge #3, he identified the only novel, active hit, but there were no chemical analogs to further support the finding, and in CACHE Challenge #2, he found the most potent molecule, but it was deemed chemically unstable. With Park's successful discovery in CACHE Challenge #4, the promising new molecule – along with the overall dataset generated from the competition – is now available publicly on the CACHE Challenges website for researchers anywhere to develop further without patent or restriction. Article content Conscience has now announced the results of four CACHE Challenges. The first CACHE Challenge found potential drug targets for familial Parkinson's disease and succeeded in recognizing that AI techniques offer promise in identifying hits. The second CACHE Challenge focused on identifying molecules that would bind to a highly conserved site on a SARS-CoV-2 protein, which, if successfully developed into a drug, could be used to treat all coronaviruses. In the third CACHE Challenge, researchers from across the globe used computational methods to predict molecules to bind on a potential target to develop medicines against another round of COVID, SARS-CoV-2. Four molecules were identified that were chemically novel and showed promise as starting points for drug development. The fourth CACHE Challenge focused on cancer immunotherapy. Other challenges in progress focus on developing treatments to address obesity and other forms of cancer, and the seventh CACHE Challenge will be launched this year. Article content Additional Quotes Article content 'Support for initiatives like CACHE helps spur the kind of outside-the-box thinking that will help position Canada as a world-leading hub for science and innovation. Through this program, Conscience is harnessing the best minds in the world to develop new medicines and therapeutics. I want to congratulate Keunwan Park and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology on identifying a novel molecule to bind cancer immunotherapy targets that will aid in the development of new cancer treatments.' Article content – The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions Article content 'To have successfully identified a bioactive and chemically novel molecule for CBLB is a huge achievement, and one that is particularly meaningful to me as a computational scientist. This is my third time participating in a CACHE Challenge, and through these experiences, I've had valuable opportunities to sharpen our approach and apply what we've learned, ultimately leading to a successful outcome. I am grateful to showcase that AI-driven workflows can overcome barriers in drug discovery, and I appreciate CACHE's efforts in driving open science and collaboration through these impactful initiatives.' Article content – Keunwan Park, Principal Researcher at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Article content 'The CACHE Challenges offer a unique opportunity to accelerate early-stage drug discovery. As seen in CACHE Challenge #4, identifying novel molecules that bind to CBLB was a significant challenge. Yet, the effort illustrates both the complexity of the task and the promise of open science in tackling it together. Every new step or connection we make brings us closer to advancing drug discovery and builds greater awareness of the power of open science. I'm proud to contribute to this collective effort, and be a part of an initiative that demonstrates the real potential of harnessing AI as a tool for drug discovery, and ultimately driving scientific progress.' Article content About Conscience Article content Conscience is a non-profit focused on enabling drug discovery and development in areas where open sharing and collaboration are key to advancement and where market solutions are limited, such as rare or neglected diseases, pandemic preparedness, and antimicrobial resistance. It does so by encouraging teamwork, the open sharing of knowledge and tools, the use and improvement of artificial intelligence, and the development of policies that break down barriers of traditional drug development models. Powered by a network that includes academics, industry, technologists, policy experts, and public support, Conscience seeks to drive innovation by turning drug discovery and development into a team sport. Through key initiatives, such as its DMOS (Developing Medicines through Open Science) program and CACHE (Critical Assessment of Computation Hit-finding Experiments) Challenges, Conscience is accelerating the path to treatments for those who need them most so no patient is left behind. For more information, visit Article content About the CACHE Challenges Article content The CACHE (Critical Assessment of Computation Hit-finding Experiments) Challenges offer an open competition platform to help accelerate one of the early stages of drug discovery. Researchers from academia, industry, and nonprofits are invited to deploy their best computational methods to predict small molecules that will bind to a predefined target linked to a specific disease, a critical step in the drug discovery pipeline known as hit-finding. Their predictions are evaluated and benchmarked in a state-of-the-art laboratory, by our partners at the Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC). All the benchmarked results are shared openly and publicly with the world, and all chemical structures are made available without patent to all. Visit Article content Article content Article content
The National
10-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
I helped the Madleen set sail for Gaza – let's not forget why we did it
Dylan Hamilton, 20, was involved in the logistics of the mission – co-ordinated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) – which set sail from Sicily on June 1 to deliver much-needed aid to Gaza and attempt to break Israel's naval blockade. Yet Hamilton also had a personal reason for being there – some of those on board were his friends. Dylan Hamilton (Image: Supplied) 'I went to be with the people who I love who were about to get on the ship. We didn't know what would happen to them,' he told The National. We now know more about the fate of the Madleen. The vessel was intercepted early on Monday morning, as Israeli forces jammed communications, surrounded the vessel, used drones to spray a white 'irritant' substance on board, before boarding and seizing the ship and detaining the 12 crew members. Four of the 12 activists have since been deported – including Swedish climate and social justice campaigner Greta Thunberg – while the other eight remain in Israel after refusing to sign documents consenting to deportation. They are now set to appear before a tribunal. READ MORE: Recap: UK silent as Israel imprisons MEP and journalists from Madleen aid ship For the eight activists who remain detained in Israel, one of whom is French-Palestinian MEP Rima Hassan, Hamilton said the coalition was limited in what it could do because there was no direct communication with the crew. He told The National: 'What we've been calling for is for activists to contact the countries and embassies of the nationalities of the activists, as well as the UK since it was a UK-registered boat. 'Hopefully there have been some interventions, it's hard to know exactly what has happened but we think there has been some engagement with consulates in Israel.' The Madleen was sailing under a UK flag, meaning it was under UK jurisdiction while in international waters. At the time of writing, there has been no official statement or intervention from the UK Government, despite repeated calls from the FFC to ensure 'protection' for the Madleen and its crew. 'I'm obviously angry but not exactly surprised, it's entirely expected', Hamilton said of the UK Government's lack of response. 'If they're not going to condemn or even stop their own complicity in other war crimes, why would they intervene in this one?' READ MORE: UK Government sends spy plane over Gaza as Freedom Flotilla ship threatened by Israel But he added: 'We still have to show the outrage, because if there's enough outrage then potentially they U-turn.' Hamilton drew similarities with the FFC's most recent mission before the Madleen, which he was also involved with – the Conscience. In May, we told how the coalition said the ship came under direct attack from two drones not far from where it had set off, injuring four of the activists onboard. There was a media blackout on the Conscience's journey, but this time the world has been able to follow the Madleen as it made its way towards Gaza – thanks to an online tracker and the crew's presence on social media. READ MORE: Social media is making sure the whole world is watching the Madleen's journey to Gaza Hamilton argued that because Israel knows it is being watched this time, its tactics have been to delegitimise the Madleen's true goal – to deliver aid to the Palestinian people, at a time when many humanitarian organisations are warning that famine is imminent in Gaza. Israel's foreign ministry has done this by attempting to depict the mission as a publicity stunt, branding the Madleen a "selfie yacht" and a "gimmick". 'By calling [the Madleen] a selfie yacht, they're trying to delegitimise the tactic that has explicitly worked,' Hamilton told The National. 'They don't want to acknowledge that it's the media attention that forced them to act not with impunity this time. Last time when there wasn't that attention, they bombed it and it didn't get as much reach as this has gotten. 'It exposes them. It's not humanity that stops them, it's not the law that stops them. It's attention and fame. 'I think the Palestine movement has a lot to learn from that and how we plan future actions.' Since 2010, all flotillas attempting to break the blockade have been intercepted or attacked by Israel, and the Madleen was no different. However, Hamilton stressed that while the media's attention remains on the Madleen, particularly on the high-profile figures who were on board, the group's focus has always been 'on the Palestinians.' He told The National: '[The crew] were protected because they're famous and European, whereas Palestinians obviously don't have that same protection. 'People in Palestine are kidnapped constantly, thousands are held illegally in detention where they've been tortured, beaten. READ MORE: UK sanctions extremist Israeli ministers over Gaza comments 'We get to worry about that safe at home in our beds, whilst people in Gaza have to worry about that while fleeing more bombs.' He added: 'Obviously the boat was never going to feed the entire population, it was just doing what it could. 'The problem is that Israel has been allowed to blockade Gaza and allow the genocide to continue. 'Even if they'd let aid in, the mission won't stop until Palestine is free.'
Hans India
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Israel deports Swedish activist Greta Thunberg after Gaza-bound aid boat intercepted
Jerusalem: Israel deported Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg on Tuesday, a day after she and 11 other activists were detained by Israeli forces while attempting to breach the naval blockade on the Gaza Strip aboard an aid boat. "Greta Thunberg just departed Israel on a flight to Sweden (via France)," the Israeli Foreign Ministry wrote on social media platform X. The ministry released two photos of her, one boarding the plane with her hands behind her back and another seated inside. State broadcaster Kan reported that Thunberg, 22, and other activists were taken to Ben Gurion Airport for deportation. According to the report, Thunberg was seated "in a back seat without the ability to recline." Israeli Interior Minister Moshe Arbel confirmed several activists were taken to the airport for deportation, and said he had "instructed that all 12 participants in the flotilla be returned to their countries of origin." "Israel will not allow its sovereignty to be harmed through protest flotilla provocations at its borders," Arbel said in a statement. The Foreign Ministry said activists who agreed to sign documents stating they voluntarily agree to leave Israel were expected to leave the country by flights on Tuesday. Those who refused would be brought before a judicial authority to authorise their deportation, according to the ministry. Consular officials from the activists' home countries met them at the airport, the ministry said. Adalah, an Israel-based legal rights group representing the activists, said four agreed to immediate repatriation, while the remaining eight are contesting their deportation orders. They would be held in a detention center pending a court hearing. The timing of the hearing was not immediately clear. According to Adalah, after the Israeli forces seized the boat Madleen early on Monday, the people on board were held at sea for hours before being brought to Ashdod port after nightfall. Israel intercepted the charity vessel in international waters and escorted it to Ashdod, the largest port in Israel, a move the Freedom Flotilla Coalition described as illegal and called a "kidnapping." The vessel was reportedly carrying humanitarian supplies, including food and medicine, intended for Gaza. The incident came about a month after another flotilla vessel, Conscience, was damaged in an alleged drone strike in international waters near Malta, Xinhua news agency reported. Israel imposed a naval blockade on Gaza in 2007 after Hamas took control of the enclave. Restrictions were further tightened following Hamas's cross-border attack in October 2023. The Israeli offensive has devastated Gaza's infrastructure and pushed its more than 2 million residents into a deep humanitarian crisis. UN agencies warn of an impending famine, with the entire population facing acute food deports Swedish activist Greta Thunberg after Gaza-bound aid boat intercepted
MTV Lebanon
10-06-2025
- Politics
- MTV Lebanon
Greta Thunberg deported from Israel after seizure of Gaza-bound aid ship
Activist Greta Thunberg was deported from Israel Tuesday, the country's Foreign Ministry said, a day after the Gaza-bound ship she was on was seized by the Israeli military. In a post on X, the Foreign Ministry shared a photo of Thunberg on a plane, saying she had departed Israel and was headed to France before continuing on to Sweden. Adalah, a legal rights group in Israel representing Thunberg and the other activists, said Thunberg, two other activists and a journalist had agreed to be deported and leave Israel. Other activists refused deportation, were being held in detention and their case was set to be heard by Israeli authorities. Thunberg was one of 12 passengers on board the Madleen, a boat carrying aid destined for people in war-torn Gaza. Israeli naval forces seized the boat early Monday about 200 kilometres (125 miles) off of Gaza's coast, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the group that organised the journey. The boat, accompanied by Israel's navy, arrived in the Israeli port of Ashdod Monday evening, according to Israel's Foreign Ministry. The activists said they were protesting the ongoing war and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Israel says such ships violate its naval blockade of Gaza. Israel's Foreign Ministry portrayed the voyage as a public relations stunt, saying on social media that 'the 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel". Video released Monday by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition showed the activists with their hands up as Israeli forces boarded the vessel, with one of them saying nobody was injured. Turkey condemned the Israeli interception as a "heinous attack" and Iran denounced it as "a form of piracy" in international waters. In May, another Freedom Flotilla ship, the Conscience, was damaged in international waters off Malta as it headed to Gaza, with the activists saying they suspected an Israeli drone attack. A 2010 Israeli commando raid on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, which was part of a similar attempt to breach the naval blockade, left 10 civilians dead. Katz on Sunday said the blockade, in place for years before the Israel-Hamas war, was needed to prevent Palestinian militants from importing weapons.
France 24
10-06-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Greta Thunberg deported from Israel after seizure of Gaza-bound aid ship
Activist Greta Thunberg was deported from Israel Tuesday, the country's Foreign Ministry said, a day after the Gaza-bound ship she was on was seized by the Israeli military. In a post on X, the Foreign Ministry shared a photo of Thunberg on a plane, saying she had departed Israel and was headed to France before continuing on to Sweden. Adalah, a legal rights group in Israel representing Thunberg and the other activists, said Thunberg, two other activists and a journalist had agreed to be deported and leave Israel. Other activists refused deportation, were being held in detention and their case was set to be heard by Israeli authorities. Thunberg was one of 12 passengers on board the Madleen, a boat carrying aid destined for people in war-torn Gaza. Israeli naval forces seized the boat early Monday about 200 kilometres (125 miles) off of Gaza's coast, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the group that organised the journey. The boat, accompanied by Israel's navy, arrived in the Israeli port of Ashdod Monday evening, according to Israel's Foreign Ministry. The activists said they were protesting the ongoing war and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Israel says such ships violate its naval blockade of Gaza. Israel's Foreign Ministry portrayed the voyage as a public relations stunt, saying on social media that 'the 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel". Turkey blasts 'heinous attack' Video released Monday by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition showed the activists with their hands up as Israeli forces boarded the vessel, with one of them saying nobody was injured. Turkey condemned the Israeli interception as a "heinous attack" and Iran denounced it as "a form of piracy" in international waters. In May, another Freedom Flotilla ship, the Conscience, was damaged in international waters off Malta as it headed to Gaza, with the activists saying they suspected an Israeli drone attack. A 2010 Israeli commando raid on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, which was part of a similar attempt to breach the naval blockade, left 10 civilians dead. Katz on Sunday said the blockade, in place for years before the Israel-Hamas war, was needed to prevent Palestinian militants from importing weapons.
