E185: What makes some medicines too thick? [SJK Audio Edition]

About this episode

Researchers investigate why some medicines become viscous at high concentrations using computer simulations.

Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/what-makes-some-medicines-too-thick/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/zcofWUPH4nw Summary : Researchers used computer simulation models to investigate why medicines become viscous at high concentrations. Abstract : A lot of thought goes into the creation of a medicine. One important consideration is how the medicine is given. Some medicines can be given in pills or sprays. Others need to be injected using a syringe. Some even require procedures in a medical center. The physical properties of the medicine will determine how it can be given. So, what if we could change those physical properties on demand? We wanted to investigate the physical properties of medicines containing monoclonal antibodies. They are used to treat cancer and autoimmune diseases. They often have to be given intravenously at a medical center because these medicines can get very viscous (thick). We wanted to know why. So we developed several models and ran computer simulations to see what was happening. We found that interactions between the antibodies and charged particles in the solution created temporary clusters. We can use this information…

Topics covered

• medicine properties
• viscosity
• monoclonal antibodies
• computer simulations
• healthcare accessibility

Keywords

• medicines
• viscous
• computer simulation
• monoclonal antibodies
• healthcare
• intravenous
• physical properties

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Science Journal for Kids

Products: monoclonal antibodies

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