WIS2H Approach to Pharmaceutical Research

Our bodies contain approximately 70% water on a weight basis, but over 98.5% on a molar basis (i.e. over 98.5% of the molecules in our bodies are water).  This is similar for all living systems (plants and animals).  Much evidence suggests that changing water structure (water interactions with biopolymers) is intimately involved in cellular functions, and discovery of those changes and the biological entities which promote those changes could be useful in the development of new drugs.  We therefore propose to develop methodology to measure water structure and test potential agents for physiological activity.  The steps are:

• Develop a model to measure water structure,
• Develop an instrument to perform measurements,
• Test existing drugs for water structural influence,
• Identify desirable properties of existing agents for pharmacological action,
• Utilize guidelines for desirable properties to screen potential new drugs.

There is a strong connection between water and cancer growth which is exemplified by the use of MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) in cancer diagnosis.  Our focus has been on chemotherapeutics with the ultimate goal to exploit differences in water structure to develop a system that enhances chemotherapeutic action on cancer cells with reduced toxicity to healthy cells.  We anticipate that this approach will find application in other drug therapies as well.

This approach to drug development is predicated on two assumptions, that water structure changes in cancer cells, and that water structure is influenced by drug action.  These assumptions have been tested experimentally by WIS2H scientists, and abstracts are presented in the following page:  

Water Structure Abstracts