With the aim of finding potential drug candidates to combat SARS-CoV2, the 鈥渟tudy focused on the exploitation of fungal secondary metabolites with profound antiviral activity on a range of known pathogenic viruses such as the human immunodeficiency virus, influenza virus, herpes simplex virus, and hepatitis C virus 鈥� as potential drug prototypes against the SARS-CoV2 virus.鈥�

Citing the fact that nearly half a million have died of COVID-19 鈥渂ecause of complications and lack of therapeutic regimens,鈥� Macabeo said the team was inspired to perform a 鈥渃omputational-driven research that enabled the screening of compounds previously obtained from fungi against enzymes/protein playing important role on viral infectivity and virulence of SARS-CoV2.鈥� Through bioinformatics and computational modelling, they were able to identify compounds that can potentially hamper the attachment, replication, protein maturation and even host immunity evasion potential of SARS-CoV2. These viral mechanisms, according to Macabeo, are important virulent factors that ascertain the successful invasion and infectivity of the said virus. Furthermore, if researchers 鈥渃an inhibit the enzymes and proteins essential for these mechanisms to happen, then [they] might be able to shut down the infectivity and pathogenicity of SARS-CoV2.鈥�

Macabeo and his fellow researchers 鈥渨ere able to fish out compounds from the antifungal library pool with promising anti-COVID properties under virtual conditions.鈥� Through molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and pharmacokinetic analysis, they point to the 鈥�in vitro and in vivo promise of these compounds for the discovery and development of anti-COVID drugs.鈥� Specifically, they found 鈥渇ive compounds with promising anti-COVID properties in silico. Of note, quinadoline B, a fungal-derived natural product, was found to inhibit all five target proteins and enzymes in SARS-CoV2. Given the promising activity of quinadoline B, this prompted us to do a further study, particularly doing structural iterations of this compound to improve its antiviral and pharmacokinetic properties.鈥�

The project was a collaboration between Thomasian scientists and experts from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China. For this particular project, Chinese collaborators helped in performing molecular dynamics simulations for the lead compounds that the Thomasians identified through molecular docking and in silico ADMET profiling. The computer-assisted technologies provided by the Shanghai researchers helped validate the in silico results. At present, the study remains to be 鈥渙ne of the few computational studies that primarily tested secondary metabolites from fungi against SARS-CoV2.鈥�

The article was published on June 16, 2020 in the Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics: .

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At the opening ceremony held at the Thomas Aquinas Research Center (TARC) auditorium, Asst. Prof. Jose Arsenio J. Salandanan, Chair of the Department of Communication and Media Studies, admitted that mounting the annual event has its challenges, particularly this time when it is being held at the height of the Novel Coronavirus scare. Despite this, 鈥渨hat lightens the load is our shared vision and valor to make each year better than the one before.聽For this, I thank the faculty advisers and their students for making each gathering intellectually stimulating, culturally enriching and socially engaging,鈥� Salandanan enthused.

In his conference overview, faculty member and d’CATCH 2020 Coordinator Mr. Tito Quiling, Jr., briefed the delegates on what will transpire in the next four days.聽He emphasized the departure from the traditional omnibus structure in linking the documentary projects in what would look like a mini magazine program to a seamlessly integrated video. Quiling encouraged all participants to consult and update him on the progress of their video production.

Days 2, 3, and 4 were designated as workshop sessions.聽Day 2, the pre-production phase, provided the opportunity for each participating country to present the videos they have produced. Workshop participants and faculty members gave comments and suggestions on how best to integrate these videos to form one final video on the theme assigned to them. A brainstorming session followed to look for the common ground or threading elements for their composite videos.聽

Day 3 was the production phase where the different groups shot additional footages and/or situationers (sitners) to unify their videos, which must last for a maximum of 15 minutes including OBB and CBB, with English subtitles for interviews conducted using the native language.

Day 4 saw the post-production phase, where participants held a pre-screening of their final output. A designated member introduced the content of the video to solicit comments and suggestions from faculty members.

Day 5 saw a a twin-bill event: the screening of the final video output in the morning and the farewell dinner in the evening.聽To comply with the directives from the Office of the Secretary General vis-脿-vis the preventive measure in the light of the Corona-Virus scare, simultaneous screenings both in the TARC auditorium and room 201 of the Graduate school were held so as not to have 50 people in one venue. This was done with the help of the Communication Bureaus. Faculty members and students were given a chance not only to view and critique the re-mixed videos but commend well-executed video documentaries.

The event ended with Asst. Prof. Faye Abugan who delivered her closing message and thanked all the faculty members and workshop participants for making the 17^th d鈥機ATCH yet another memorable event.聽Immediately after, Asst. Prof. Salandanan announced that the next host will be University Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Yogyakarta with the theme WOW! Prof Senja Yustitia accepted the hosting offer and ended her brief speech with the phrase, 鈥渟ee you in Indonesia in 2021.鈥�

d鈥� CATCH is an annual academic gathering of Communication students from Asian countries namely, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, China and the Philippines which advances practical international research and video co-production among university students.聽It started in 2003 as a collaborative project between Japan Kanda University of International Studies and the 澳门六合彩开奖网.聽Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand and Communication University of China Nanjing joined the group in 2005 and 2009, respectively.聽 In 2013, yet, another country Indonesia University of Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Yogyakarta (UPN) became the latest addition to its roster of participating universities.

The 17^th edition marks the fifth time the 澳门六合彩开奖网 hosted the event.聽 UST was host to d鈥機ATCH in 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2016. Although two countries cannot make it to d鈥� CATCH 2020 in Manila, Philippines, Malaysia University of Malaya participated and hopes to be part of the consortium.

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